Posted on 11/14/2022 4:57:08 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand (AP) — How do you stop a cow from burping?
It might sound like the start of a humorous riddle, but it’s the subject of a huge scientific inquiry in New Zealand. And the answer could have profound effects on the health of the planet.
More specifically, the question is how to stop cows, sheep and other farm animals from belching out so much methane, a gas which doesn’t last as long as carbon dioxide in the atmosphere but is at least 25 times more potent when it comes to global warming.
Because cows can’t readily digest the grass they eat, they ferment it first in multiple stomach compartments, or rumen, a process that releases huge amounts of gas. Every time somebody eats a beef burger or drinks a milkshake, it comes at an environmental cost.
New Zealand scientists are coming up with some surprising solutions that could put a big dent in those emissions. Among the more promising are selective breeding, genetically modified feed, methane inhibitors, and a potential game-changer — a vaccine.
In New Zealand, the research has taken on a new urgency. Because farming is central to the economy, about half of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions come from farms, compared to less than 10% in the U.S. New Zealand’s 5 million people are outnumbered by 26 million sheep and 10 million cattle.
As part of a push to become carbon neutral, New Zealand’s government has promised to reduce methane emissions from farm animals by up to 47% by 2050.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...
Tums?
Well the sheep are safe for now.
I thought it was cow FARTS?
“and a potential game-changer — a vaccine.”
Anyone else see a trend here?
Bingo!
Worlds largest source of methane is from termites. Bazillions of them everywhere farting their little buts away 24 hours a day.
If the world really wanted to stop the “global warming” it would only require getting rid of the politicians. That, my friends, is where the most destructive of the hot air originates. Not pretty but pretty simple.
If they worried about it, fix it the kiwis way, kill all the bovines.
I’d be curious to hear the environmentalist opinion for when millions of buffalo used to roam the US prairie. Do they consider Buffalo Bill a hero?
True insanity on display.
It was also providing a lot of fertilizer for the earth to
help the plants grow. All things take some away and provide
some on the journey.
Wrong again experts. Everyone knows that cow farts are causing global warming. We just need to develop a cow fart bottling system to capture the methane and use it to power generators that charge electric vehicles.
Once read that IF ALL the termites in the world went to only ONE LOCATION, their weight could change the rotation of the Earth.
Hopefully the people in New Zealand will grab their guns and over-throw the current crop of lunatics who are running things there.
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