Heard it through the bovine

Scientists try to reduce methane emissions by tweaking cow diets

Posted by Katy Balatero (Guest Contributor) at 5:01 PM on 16 Aug 2007

Read more about: food | agriculture | climate | greenhouse-gas emissions

Did you know that cows belch every 40 seconds? I did not. A recent article in The Christian Science Monitor states this fun fact, and goes on to explain how scientists are trying to manipulate bovine diets to reduce the amount of methane that they emit:

British researchers have begun a $1.5 million government research program to propose ways to change cows' diets in order to reduce methane production by feeding them grasses with higher levels of sugar, which facilitate digestion. "These grasses present a better balance of nutrients to the microbial population in the rumen and are used more efficiently," says Prof. Mike Theodorou, head of the UK's Science Development at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in Aberystwyth. "In doing so, more of the ingested carbon and nitrogen will be converted to meat, milk, hide, and wool."

Researchers are also looking into supplements to add to the cows' feed, such as plant-based fats, tannins (bitter compounds found in tea and wine), soapy-tasting saponins, and even garlic. In addition, scientists in Australia are studying the possibility of introducing kangaroo digestive bacteria into cow stomachs -- microbes that emit acetate rather than methane.

Yes, methane plays a role in global climate change as a greenhouse gas. And the carbon footprint of beef is huge:

Recently, researchers from the Japanese National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science in Tsukuba calculated the environmental impact of a serving of beef and published the result in The New Scientist. According to them, the production of one kilogram of beef (2.2 pounds) results in the emission of greenhouse gases with a warming potential equivalent to 80 pounds of carbon dioxide. In other words: Serving steak to your family is the greenhouse-gas equivalent of driving 155 miles.

But I'm somewhat skeptical about this dietary tampering; the idea of manipulating cow diets even further than we already have is a little disconcerting. We've seen corn-fed CAFO cows become more susceptible to disease as a direct result of eliminating their natural diet of grass, leading to overuse of antibiotics by the beef industry. Would it be better to leave well enough alone, and simply consume less (sustainably raised) beef?

For story: Heard it through the bovine
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Also - much of bovine footprint is in feed crops

If you look at the U.N. studies, a large portion of the emissions for cattle raising are fertilizer, pesticides and soil erosion for crops used to feed cattle. Raising them 100% on grass - no feedlots would reduce that tremendously. But adding some supplements to reduce the remaining methane emissions once this is done is a good idea. Grass fed cattle do personally emit more methane than grain fed cattle. So raising cattle almost entirely on grass, while adding just a enough supplementation to reduce that one emission that is greater than grain gives you the best of both worlds.

by Gar Lipow at 7:07 PM on 16 Aug 2007

Agree with Katy

We seem to be obsessed with technological fixes. Introducing kangaroo digestive bacteria into cow stomachs? We should be raising dramatically less numbers of livestock animals and the ones we do raise, we should be giving them the foods they would eat naturally.

Note that beans, nuts and whole grains are rich in protein and fiber and they don't emmit methane! And you don't have to feed them corn.

by amc89 at 7:40 AM on 17 Aug 2007

Dear Katy:

Hi! I liked your blog, very interesting. Are you an animal lover? I run this website called Environmentally Friendly Gifts. Naturally made from elephant poo! Please check this out if you get a chance.

by Nissa24 at 7:49 AM on 17 Aug 2007

loving animals

Well, there are no doubt many animal-lovers in the Grist community. But it has already been well established here, even before this interesting post by Katy Balatero, that all people with environmentalist values will want to consider shifting their diet in the direction of vegetarianism, whether they love animals or not.

On elephants: Best wishes to you and your elephant poo enterprise, Nissa the Elefriend! Animal-welfare ethics pertaining to elephants is a fascinating specialization in the field. The endangered pygmy elephants of Borneo, apparently a sub-species of the Asian elephant, were recently in the news, in connexion with the on-going elimination of the forests of that island. That is a subject that our Biodiversivist is an expert on.

Also, a few days ago, in a motel room near Indianapolis, I found myself watching the National Geographic channel on TV. Between one sensationalistic show about hippopotami behaving violently, and another sensationalistic show about bears behaving violently, was a sensationalistic show that interested me by far the most, about elephants behaving violently. Specifically, there are a number of cases of elephants in Kenya killing some of the cattle of the Maasai, and young male elephants in South Africa killing some rhinoceroses (after trying to mount them as females, and being rebuffed). Both behaviors were traced by experts to earlier experiences of misunderstanding and mistreatment on the part of human beings.

Do you know Barbara Gowdy's powerful novel, in which the characters are elephants, "The White Bone"? I love that book.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 11:06 AM on 17 Aug 2007

Loving Animals

Hi Caniscandida,

I totally agree with you. Animals are being abused and mistreated, the reason why they are behaving violently. This should stop. I hope that many people will get to read our posts so that they too will understand the importance of wildlife in our society. That's why, we at The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company are so proud because we sell these products with a purpose and that is to successfully sell our goods in order to complete a truly creative sustainable cycle: where raw materials with little other use are utilized to make a useful and functional product all the while providing jobs and opportunity along the way and ultimately selling our goods at a profit from which a portion is directed to a worthwhile cause: elephant welfare and conservation.

Basically, our sustainable cycle works like this: as with all creatures on our planet, elephants need a clean environment and a good diet. With these needs met an elephant produces a lot of dung, which we collect and use to make our products. We work with various conservation parks (and mahouts) to gather the dung (which is full of fibrous material and makes great paper). We then process the dung into paper sheets from which our products are made. The more we sell to customers like you and to stores across the country and around the world...the more we can contribute as a percentage of the profits from each item you buy is contributed to elephant welfare and conservation programs!

We'd love to hear from you so please feel welcome to contact us.

Poo Master

by Nissa24 at 11:36 AM on 16 Oct 2007
[ Parent ]

Well done, Poo Master!

Yes, I have heard of your company, and shall give your site another visit. Yours is indeed a worthwhile cause. Best wishes!

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 12:20 PM on 16 Oct 2007

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