Oregano Will Cut Cows’ Wind and Climate Change
Cows’ farts have long been recognised as a contributor to climate change. Their digestion creates methane as a by-product and that methane is 25 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, although it only remains for a decade.
Methane is a large component of the national greenhouse gas inventory in many countries. Much of it comes from industry but up to 10% of it is from agriculture.
In South Africa, agricultural methane emissions make up a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, with 11% of those coming from dairy cows.
Scientists and farmers have consequently been experimenting on ways of reducing those emissions. Adding fat or nitrate to animal feed – or feeding cows and other livestock better quality food – has been shown to help.
Oli