“Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas (GHG) produced and released by eructation (fancy word for belching) into the atmosphere in large volumes by ruminants.” (Source: Animal, Vol. 14, Supplement 3, 2020, pages s453-s463)

You’ve probably heard all the warnings about the negative effects of cows belching methane. These warnings always seem to be coupled with dire threats of impending doom to our climate. There can be no question that methane, no matter its source, contributes to atmospheric warming just like CO2 does, but methane is much worse at trapping heat in the atmosphere and is only mitigated by its relatively short life span when compared to CO2.

Over-the-road trucks so necessary for our economy are also major contributors to methane emissions, probably more so than cattle and dairy production. But, we participate in that transportation, too, as we haul cattle, chickens, hogs and feeds for them all as well as beef, chicken, pork and milk around America in those big 18 wheelers belching methane tainted exhaust.

As participants in the cattle industry, and I am including here the dairy cow portion of the beef-for-food industry, we surely bear some responsibility for curbing the damaging effect of atmospheric methane if our animal production processes contribute. How much of that responsibiilty is ours is a matter of debate, but in the meantime we must search for solutions and, ultimately, account for the increased costs associated with those solutions.

There's some promise in the area of enteric CH4 mitigation. Research in this area has grown exponentially in the last two decades, with various strategies for abatement being investigated: production intensification, dietary manipulation (including supplementation and processing of concentrates and lipids, and management of forage and pastures), rumen manipulation, and selection of low CH4-producing animals.

Also promising, the FDA has completed a multi-year review of a first-in-class methane-reducing feed ingredient and determined that the product meets safety and efficacy requirements for use in lactating dairy cattle. Feeding one tablespoon per lactating dairy cow per day is said to reduce methane emissions by about 30% or about 12 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually reducing dairy’s carbon footprint. Even the methane guru, Dr. Frank Mitloehner, the CLEAR Center Director and UC Davis Professor, agrees that with this product, “… farmers will have an important tool in reducing enteric methane … to reach climate goals.”

For us in the cattle-to-beef business, though, the question is: Can such a medical prophylactic also apply to cattle-for-beef ruminants? I sure hope so, but that is yet to be evaluated.

But what else can be done? In my research, albeit limited in scope, I have found that there are a number of other ongoing studies to help the cattle industry curb its enteric emissions.

You may not have heard of the “Greener Cattle Initiative,” for example. They have asked for more research into enteric methane and have put their money where their mouth is by offering funding for such research.

Meanwhile, the International Livestock Research Institute has found that tropical grasses, when part of the ruminant’s diet, can decrease methane production by as much at 10% to 25%. And, the incorporation of nitrates and vegetable oils in the ruminant ration decreased enteric CH4 yield by 6% to 20%. This could lead to an improvement in profitability of production by reducing the incorporation of expensive feedstuffs in rations. But, and this is a big but, such feedstuffs really only apply to tropical regions of the world.

We need real Northern Hemisphere solutions if we are going to substantially curb emissions in our neck of the woods. And we'll need a marketing plan to convince consumers to pay for those solutions.

Methane: What Are We Supposed To Do About It?

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