This Cow Food Could Help Stop Global Warming

This cow food could help stop global warming. “Mootral” is a natural feed supplement that’s added to normal cow feed. It reduces bacteria that cause their stomach to produce gas, and promotes bacteria essential for cows’ immune systems.

Cow’s stomachs are separated into four compartments. When food passes through the rumen, it is fermented and bacteria is converted into methane, which is more harmful to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide.   

“The feed that they consume makes a big difference on how much methane is being released.” Explained UC Davis researcher and professor, Ermias Kebeab. “If they are consuming more fibrous diets, then they will produce more methane. If you wanted to reduce methane, you could do that but the cost of the diet becomes quite large so it’s not cost effective. This is then the interest of trying to see what kind of additives can we use in order to be able to do that.”

The special stuff can reportedly reduce methane in cows by a third of what they normally produce. Its creators also say the feed is natural so it won’t harm the animals — or the meat/dairy they produce.

Since cows are essential for the consumption of the population who eat meat/milk, their numbers are growing rapidly, so it’s important to figure out how to reduce methane — and the magical Mootral could be the answer.

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