Cattle are typically the ones who suffer the brunt of criticism when animals are blamed for contributing to climate change. Although chicken and swine, two other common sources of protein, have digestive systems that are similar to those of cattle, which is why beef and other products from cattle are popular both domestically and overseas.
Cattle have a special digestive process. When cows eat food, it goes to a part of the stomach called the rumen. The rumen ferments the materials, which produces a gas called methane. Methane is later expelled from the cow through belching.
Methane is a greenhouse gas and is very harmful to our atmosphere. It is even more potent than carbon dioxide over a twenty year period. This gas is what traps heat inside our planet, which is what causes temperatures to rise.
There is a solution, however, being engineered to reduce these gas emissions. Scientists have research a diet to make the cows less gassy, and they discovered that a high fiber diet should suffice. A scientist from UC David found that seaweed can help reduce methane produced from cows. Although the specific seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis, is low on supply and is still being researched.
Cattles may produce 14.5% of greenhouse gasses in the world, but they are also helping with the climate crisis. Many land in the United States are unable to grow crops, so many farmers use this land to raise their cattle. The cows graze the soil, which helps upcyle nutrients and convert it into proteins that humans can actually utilize. Grazing is what helps ecosystems become stable and sustainable.
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