On New Zealand Farm, Scientists Reduce Cow Burps to Save the World
Researchers say they can reduce the amount of methane - a greenhouse gas - cows emit by altering their diets. At a New Zealand farm, scientists are reducing cow burps in order to save our world.
Cow burps are a major contributor to greenhouse gases, which is why scientists in New Zealand have begun feeding cows a probiotic drink known as “kowbucha” to reduce their burps and tackle global warming.
Cattle farming is a major contributor to climate change
Cattle are the top contributor to agricultural greenhouse gases. A single cow will release around 220 pounds of methane into the atmosphere each year by burping. While methane lingers in our atmosphere for shorter periods than carbon dioxide, it has a 28-fold global warming potential.
Scientists have been aware of this issue for decades, and as a result, there have been calls to reduce meat eating to tackle climate change. Experts warn that in western countries, the consumption of beef consumption must drop by 90% to avoid the dangerous effects of climate change.
Further pressure to reduce cattle farming comes from the growing demand for food due to the world’s growing population. By 2050, we will need 50% more food to feed the world. If we were to increase meat production, however, this would significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions, and we would fail climate change goals.
Could probiotics cut cattle emissions?
To cut greenhouse gas emissions from cattle farming without reducing the volume of beef produced, New Zealand multinational publicly traded dairy co-operative Fonterra has been running trials since 2021 to test the efficacy of a probiotic drink on reducing cow burps.
A probiotic powder has been added to the milk of calves at Massey University farm for the past year as scientists closely monitor how it impacts the levels of methane released in the cows’ burps. Probiotics were an ideal choice for this test, given that they are a natural solution and will not detrimentally affect the cows’ milk.
Early results have indicated that the probiotics may be reducing the methane emissions from the cows. The first analyses have indicated that cows fed with the probiotics emit up to 20% less methane than cows not consuming the supplement. However, more data is needed before the cleverly named “kowbucha” can be approved.
The kowbucha project is part of a wider, national effort to reduce agricultural emissions. Earlier this year, New Zealand's government announced it planned to spend $380 million in New Zealand dollars on research that aims to counter agricultural emissions.
Will New Zealand put a tax on cow burps?
At the same time, scientists are investigating how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions released in cow burps, the New Zealand government has announced plans to tax the greenhouse gas emissions that are produced by farm animals as a new strategy to tackle climate change.
Farmers will be able to counter the tax by charging more for climate-friendly produce. Therefore, if approved, the probiotic supplement may play a vital role in helping farmers to reduce their emissions and avoid additional taxes.
The tax is planned to begin in 2025, and if future trials with the probiotic supplement continue to be successful, the product could be available prior to this, by 2024. If all goes to plan, the “kowbucha” could be pivotal in helping New Zealand’s farmers lower their emissions.
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