Mon, 07 Jan 2008

Fart Like a Kangaroo

When I first ran across this, it seemed destined for the 'Humor' bin. Not now.

There's nothing funny about "modifying" animals to host foreign bacteria, especially for such a useless goal. Because if you really want to cut methane production in livestock, the solution is as simple as changing their feed, putting them on pasture instead of concentrated foods like grains.

I do find it moderately funny that while it's obvious that ruminants were "designed" by Nature and evolution to eat grasses and growing plants, we humans seem to insist on force feeding them everything from grains to slaughterhouse waste, causing everything from increased greenhouse gas emissions to mad cow disease.

Which makes me wonder if we ever really learn anything.

Never mind low-emissions vehicles and low-emissions power plants. Let's talk about low-emissions livestock. Scientists are working on a bizarre solution for an embarrassing environmental problem: farting cows and sheep that emit a stunning volume of greenhouse gases.

(link) [U.S. News & World Report]

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