It's not often that cows are part of global warming solutions, but a new type of feed could change that. University of Florida researchers have discovered that a new cow feed could cut down on cow burps, which are notorious for releasing methane, ScienceDaily reported.
Methane is a heat-trapping gas that has caused about 30% of the rising temperatures over several decades, per the IEA. The typical food cows eat, like grass and hay, produces methane during a cow's digestion. Methane then escapes the cow when it burps. According to Greenpeace, a cow can burp as often as every 90 seconds, which can cause the release of a lot of methane into the atmosphere.
However, UF researchers have been testing a cow feed made from flaxseed and pea protein. In lab testing, the food successfully reduced methane production during digestion.
Lowering methane has been a priority for environmental advocates. Rising temperatures, caused in part by methane, have contributed to glacier ice melt, rising sea levels, and extreme weather patterns. Innovations like this new cattle feed can make it possible to clean up one of agriculture's biggest offenders, leading to a more sustainable and less polluting food system. That means cleaner air and healthier communities might be around the corner.
The food has an additional benefit of requiring less energy to digest, leaving more energy for a cow's milk production.
"It's a win-win situation," Antonio Faciola, the study's lead researcher and an associate professor at UF's Department of Animal Sciences, said, per ScienceDaily. "Every time we reduce methane, we keep that energy in the cow's body." This breakthrough shows that efficient milk production may not need to be at the planet's expense.
UF researchers aren't the only ones working on a solution to cow-related methane production. Another research team is studying a cow vaccine that could reduce methane output. Scientists are also working on changing cow microbiomes and adding red algae to cow food to curb the problem.
Innovations like better cow feed can make a real difference, but reducing human reliance on cows altogether could also help the environment. A switch to plant-based foods can ease pressure on the dairy industry, essentially lowering methane-related pollution and offering a clearer path toward a climate-friendly food system.
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