Originally published Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Cow-belching study aims to cut methane
Researchers have stumbled on a way to stop cows from emitting methane — a potent greenhouse gas — when they belch, a finding...
TOKYO — Researchers have stumbled on a way to stop cows from emitting methane — a potent greenhouse gas — when they belch, a finding that could help the fight against global warming.
Methane generated when livestock belch while eating is said to account for about 5 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions. But supplementing the animals' diet with cysteine, a type of amino acid, and nitrate can reduce the methane produced by the animals, according to the researchers.
Methane is generated in the stomachs of ruminants, such as cows and sheep, as bacteria break down plant fibers. The gas is emitted into the atmosphere when the animals belch as they chew cud.
The research team at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine in Hokkaido, headed by professor Junichi Takahashi, initially noticed that dairy cattle that consume a large amount of nitrate from grass growing in soil doused with high levels of chemical fertilizer release only traces of methane when they belch.
The researchers stumbled on the relationship between nitrate and methane generation when they studied a mass poisoning outbreak among a herd of cows.
The team found that feeding the animals cysteine in addition to nitrate not only significantly cut the methane they generate but also helped prevent them from being poisoned.
The study also showed the nitrate does not affect milk quality. The amount of cysteine a cow needs each day costs about 95 cents, according to the researchers.
The university team has obtained a patent for the technique in Japan, the United States, Australia and two other countries.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
UPDATE - 08:24 PM
Palin links resignation to 'higher calling'
Merchant Marine veterans fight for recognition
2 US troops die in attack on base in Afghanistan
Enigmatic choices create a fuzzy future
Countries slow to admit flu epidemic

Tribal Fireworks Rivalry
The Fourth of July marks a long-standing fireworks rivalry between two clans of a Native-American family in Suquamish.
Entertainment | Top Video | World | Offbeat Video | Sci-Tech
nwjobs

Post a comment

Michelle Goodman blogs about work/life balance.
Tax tips for new independent professionals
Post a comment
nwautos

Choosing a new car? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment
nwhomes

Find a new home or condo that fits your lifestyle.
Search New Developments
Builder Directory
- Palin links resignation to 'higher calling'
- Yakima teacher reprimanded for sending 5-year-old student home with bag of feces in backpack
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- 6 jurors swear a cop's wife swayed panel in Kent civil rights case
- Fire sends service providers scrambling
- Going to Gas Works Park? Good luck
- Woman accuses Sounders FC player Nate Jaqua of sexual assault, seeks more than $10 million
- Fourth of July festivals and fireworks in Seattle, the suburbs and beyond
- More than 1 million seek tix for Jackson memorial
- Rob Johnson's double in 11th powers Mariners past Red Sox, 7-6
- Palin resigning as Alaska governor
739 - Seattle Mariners at Boston Red Sox: 07/04 game thread
244 - Reports: NKorean missile arrives at launch site
94 - Woman accuses Sounders FC player Nate Jaqua of sexual assault, seeks more than $10 million
91 - Palin's Declaration of Independence
72 - Mariners score unlikely win over Red Sox in battle of bullpens
58 - Rob Johnson ties a club record as Mariners win 7-6 in 11 innings
54 - Hatred for the NBA runs deep, but don't take it out on the players
43 - Man pistol-whipped after argument at nightclub
39 - Former NFL MVP McNair killed
32
- Going to Gas Works Park? Good luck
- Plasma and LCD beware; OLED screens ready to go mainstream
- Liven up Fremont's attempt to break a world record for a 'zombie walk'
- Merchant Marine veterans fight for recognition
- Lynnwood's City Bank gets tighter scrutiny
- Yakima teacher reprimanded for sending 5-year-old student home with bag of feces in backpack
- Retail Report | Pet-supply shops grow while other retailers fade
- Palin links resignation to 'higher calling'
- Fire sends service providers scrambling
- Oregon woman obsessed with rabbits back in jail





