In general, cows that eat high-cellulose diets like grass and hay produce more methane than those on a diet high in grain. Adding supplements like fish oil to the grain reduces cow burps, but can be expensive. A one-diet-fits-all approach won't work; a variety of feeds are necessary depending on the needs of the cow. "We know we can reduce methane emission from diet," said Morre, admitting, "it's a complicated system." The incentive for farmers to use low-emission cattle is two-fold. First, fuel-efficient cattle will reduce the amount of money farmers spend on feed. The "icing on the cake," according to Basarab, is that farmers who reduce their carbon dioxide equivalency (CO2e) credits can then sell them to companies who emit greenhouse gases under Alberta's greenhouse gas cap-and-trade system. "Alberta has a big oil industry, which would be buying the carbon credits," said Moore. "Right now we are validating the technology so that farmers can sell their carbon credits. They could use the extra money." Related Links: |
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