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Climate Change Scientists Attack Cow Belches PDF Print E-mail
Written by Heather McKee   
Friday, 21 November 2008

 

Wait, don’t cow farts cause climate change?

 

Cows produce methane as a result of enteric fermentation by symbiotic bacteria living in their digestive systems. But most enteric fermentation occurs in cow stomachs, not intestines, so most methane emitted by a cow - up to 98% according to one scientist - is through belching, not farting.

 

Ok, that's straightened out.  So what are scientists doing to reduce the impact of cow belches on climate change?

 

Before you laugh at cow belch research: According to the EPA, enteric fermentation by livestock accounts for nearly 2% of all U.S. anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Of course, this doesn’t include manure handling, land use patterns, or processing and packaging and shipping – just the belching.

 

This 2% of U.S. emissions has warranted some serious belch studying. Microbiologists are attempting to engineer gut bacteria that don’t produce methane as a byproduct. Aussie researchers are attempting to introduce kangaroo flora to cow guts, on the pretense that kangaroos don’t belch or fart as much methane as cows do. And most recently, some American and Candian studies have focused on whether or not a cow’s diet influences their methane production.

 

In a study funded by the Dairy Farmers of Canada and published in the Journal of Animal Science this month, researchers stated that feeding cows more grains and less grass amounted to an up to 15% reduction of methane produced through enteric fermentation. Another study showed that adding garlic to a cow’s diet reduced methane emissions by 50%. In general, scientists appear to be forming a concensus that foodstuffs with higher available energy, such as high sugar grasses, or higher protein content may decrease cow methane emissions.

 

No study to date has explored the methane emissions from heirloom breeds of livestock in comparison to conventional livestock. Envirovore hopes as that Battle Cow Belch ensues, dietary and breed considerations will be on the forefront of researchers’ minds, instead of more expenisve, invasive, and morally and environmentally questionable chemical or laboratory intensive processes.

 

Via Environmental News Network

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