Research into cow burps could cut methane emissions, and budgets

Scientists are finding that some cowsare more efficient than others.

At theLacombeResearch Station,heifers take turns sticking their heads into a computerized feeder for a mouthful of pellets.

As they snack, a sampling tube and infrared detector measures the contents of their burps.

"Essentially what we're doing here is measuring methane emissions of beef cattle under fairly typical and normal production practice," said research scientist JohnBasarab.

Greenhouse eruptions

Themore food efficientcowsdon't need to eat as much other cows their size.

According toBasarab,less efficient cows produce up to 30per cent more methane. He saidselective breeding could help cutemissions by 10to 15 per cent over the next couple of decades.

That's good news, as the methanefrom burps and flatulenceaccounts formore than half of the greenhouse gases produced by the beef industry in Canada.

"The carbon footprint of the beef industry is an important public concern,"said Basarab. "And of course, if we can get animals that eat less for the same amount of production, it means cost savings."

Big savings

KarinSchmid, who works withAlberta Beef Producers, saidthe environmental benefit of cows eating less comes with a financial one.

"Feed efficiency has always been really important to beef producers," she said.

According toSchmid, a fiveper cent improvement in feed efficiency would save the industryaround$80millionperyear.

"It has such a big impact on bottom lines and on the environment that it will always be a focus for beef producers and beef industry," she said.

"And we will continue to invest research dollars into being able to figure out how to pick out those more efficient cows more easily."