Burping bovine: University of Guelph researchers develop tool to predict how much methane a cow will belch out
University of Guelph (U of G) researchers have been looking at ways to breed dairy cows that burp out less methane, a harmful greenhouse gas emission contributing to climate change.
“Methane has a global warming potential 28 times that of carbon dioxide,” said Christine Baes, chair of the U of G animal bioscience department.
Baes is leading a team from the university and Ontario Dairy Research Centre that has developed a new tool, which estimates how much methane will be produced by each of the roughly 700,000 registered dairy cows on farms across Canada.
Researchers with the University of Guelph are working to breed low-methane producing cows. (Spencer Turcotte/CTV News)
Almost 14 per cent our greenhouse gas emissions around the world come from burping livestock, according to the U of G. The university is hoping to change that.
“Over the past several years, our team has been trying to deliver a genetic evolution for methane emission and feed efficiency in dairy cattle,” Baes said.
It means breeders can now select which cows will produce calves that, when fully grown, will belch out less greenhouse gas.
“We're really proud that this research has resulted in Canada being the first country worldwide to be able to deliver genetic evolutions for methane emissions,” Baes said.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
At the research centre, which operates in partnership with the university, cows put their heads into 'green feed machines’ and as they eat their hearty meal, paired with heavy breathing and burping, they produce data.
“So when the animal is breathing, those gases are taken up by the machine and measured,” Baes explained.
With about 500 cows at the research centre, there is no shortage of burps to measure.
In fall 2022, the team published a paper in the Journal of Dairy Science describing how to predict methane emissions in dairy cattle using milk mid-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (MIRS).
The U of G said in a recent study that MIRS data could be used to predict methane emissions. Matching up milk samples with DNA samples from individual cows allows a farmer to pinpoint which animals to breed for lower emissions. Ultimately, the hope is that it will contribute to more sustainable dairy operations.
WHICH END IS WORSE?
When it comes to passing gas from the back passage, Baes said the main concern comes from the mouth.
“Many people do think the problematic gas comes out the back end but that's not the case. About 95 per cent of enteric methane emissions are coming out of the front end of the animal,” she said.
The new methane emissions evaluations will initially be provided to owners of Holstein cattle involved in registration and herd testing. They make up the majority of Canada's dairy herd.
Other breeds will be included as more data is collected.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
WATCH LIVE As GC Strategies partner is admonished by MPs, RCMP confirms search warrant executed
The RCMP confirmed Wednesday it had executed a search warrant at an address registered to GC Strategies. This development comes as MPs are enacting an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power, summoning one of its contractors to appear before the House of Commons to be admonished publicly for failing to answer questions related to the ArriveCan app.
Disappointment widespread over budget's proposed $200-month disability benefit funding
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.