Flatulent cattle are responsible for 4% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Add to this other livestock rearing activities, such as the transportation of cattle, and the figure for all agricultural emissions tops out around the 20% mark - 10 times that of air travel. However, help is at hand courtesy of a new pill that will hopefully control the blustery beasts’ belches and backend blast-offs.
Scientists in Germany believe they have found a solution: a plant-based pill called a bolus that will hopefully stop our four-bellied friends burping and breaking wind.
“Our aim is to increase the well-being of the cow, to reduce the greenhouse gases produced and to increase agricultural production all at once,” said Professor Winfried Drochner of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart. “It is an effective way of fighting global warming.”
Meat consumption has increased the build up of methane in the atmosphere six-fold over the last half century, and that figure is expected to rise unless the problem is taken in hand.
“The fist-sized tablets mean that microbiotic substances can slowly dissolve in the cow’s stomach over several months,” continued Drochner, whose research team is currently working out how to convince cows to consume the enormous pills.
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Instead of creating a pill, a vegetarian diet should be promotion decreasing the consumption of meat worldwide. This will not only save the planet but save lives!
Comment by Reena — March 27, 2007 @ 5:31 am
I agree, how ridiculous to create a pill rather than adopting a vegetarian diet the world would be a MUCH better place if we all did this, not to mention put a stop to billions of animals who needlessly suffer EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY. This is just their sorry efforts towards a “solution” when will people learn?!
Comment by Debbie — March 28, 2007 @ 8:18 pm
I do agree about the benefit of a vegetarian diet, although I would not discourage the development & use of the pill. A vegetarian diet is also much more efficient in its use of arable land - something like 10 times better than rearing and fattening cattle.
Comment by Tom Greeves — March 29, 2007 @ 7:43 pm
naughty smelly cows
Comment by emily — April 17, 2007 @ 11:17 am
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