Why are NZ cows giving out so much methane?
OPINION: Why are New Zealand cows emitting so much methane?
The answer lies in the poor quality of pasture the animal is consuming.
Researchers at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory in Bushland, Texas set out to use a number of different methane assessment methods—including a “breathaliser for cows”— to determine the methane emissions of free-range cattle on Oklahoma grasslands.
Their research, combined with data on how well the soil traps methane, can help create more accurate models of how much greenhouse gas emissions Americans can chalk up to their fondness for cheese and hamburgers.
