11/6/08 Grass Equals Gas

Ermias Kebreab's job is a real gas. All joking aside, the University of Manitoba scientist claims to have figured out a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cow belching by 200 liters a day. Simply feed them grain as opposed to grass. Over the past four years the scientist has been studying and analyzing cow burps in order to measure the amount of methane dairy cows produce when fed different types of feed. It has always been thought that grass contributed less to global warming than other high energy concentrated crops such as grain, but this may not hold true. With the help of a Jersey steer named George, Kebreab revealed how his study worked. The steer was placed into a feeding compartment with a hooded collar to trap the gases. The gases were then sucked out of the area into a machine which measured the methane. A grain fed George produced roughly 200 liters less of methane emissions a day. And while Canada has yet to employ the findings, the U.S. is utilizing the research to determine the amount of our cattle methane emissions.