Anti-methane pills

[Kymba]

Originally Posted by eeyore

only if we breed cows to fart under water so that we can catch the bubbles as they come up - breeding cows to graze under water would also be handy if the govt continues to do 9/10 of nothing about global warming

if crossed a cow and a whale you'd have a wow

Ouch!! That was awful!!!!!!!

Mind going off thread a bit watching River cottage today,, Hugh was worried about the grass in his field being over used by his sheep and cows and wanted to know what he could do to stop this.... he got a specialist out who said to sow Clover seeds as these are good for the ground and feeds the animals to..... the threw some seeds around.. he then said the best way to do it and get it to grow was to feed it to the Cows which they then pass in their manure.... he also planted a small handful of seeds in cow manure and said by next year there would be a huge circle of clover as it would be the only thing growing in the manure and would get all the goodness from it..

[oceanroc]

Personally I think we should let the poor animals do what they have always done and give them as natural a diet as possible. What about cruelty to animals!!! Next we will be forcing cows to eat Mothers Pride white bread (with negative fibre) as well as making them eat pills the size of a fist.

HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD ????

[Paul mabbott]

Better than making them eat dead cows ....
In answer to your question - much of it has ...

Originally Posted by oceanroc

Next we will be forcing cows to eat Mothers Pride white bread (with negative fibre) as well as making them eat pills the size of a fist.
HAS THE WORLD GONE MAD ????

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Bambi

Has anybody else read about the German professors of the Hohenheim university who have invented a pill for cows to stop them releasing methane gas? The pill, which is currently being tested and has the size of a fist, makes it possible for the methane gas to produce glucose instead of it just being released into the air.

I was just wondering what the general thoughts where on this devellopment, does anyone think it is something that will contribuate anything in the battle against greenhouse gasses or is it is a waste of time and money, which could be better spent?

~*~ Bambi~*~

Do you have a reference?
Incidentally, strictly speaking, it isn't the cows (or sheep or other ruminants) that produce the methane but the microorganisms in their guts ... wonder if these people are changing the gut flora?

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Do you have a reference?
Incidentally, strictly speaking, it isn't the cows (or sheep or other ruminants) that produce the methane but the microorganisms in their guts ... wonder if these people are changing the gut flora?

The first time I read about it, was on a German website. After reading it I googled on "Hohenheim cow pills" and found quite a few English articles about it. The one I found the most informative is the one I linked in my second post on this topic.

~*~Bambi~*~

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Bambi

The first time I read about it, was on a German website. After reading it I googled on "Hohenheim cow pills" and found quite a few English articles about it. The one I found the most informative is the one I linked in my second post on this topic.

~*~Bambi~*~

Thanks, not very helpful is it - I'll try and find some scientific papers: I'm absolutely unclear what they're doing.
Seems to me the best thing would be to reduce the numbers of cows but ....

[demicav]

Did anyone hear about the man that lived on baked beans ? He farted so much that he died from inhaling the methane. . Actually it's true so lay off the beans

[richardkm]

And what about all those sheep in the antipodes?

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by demicav

Did anyone hear about the man that lived on baked beans ? He farted so much that he died from inhaling the methane. . Actually it's true so lay off the beans

Sounds like one of those "urban myths"! Methane isn't toxic. It would suffocate you in an enclosed space (like carbon dioxide). I suspect this is more propaganda put out by the US Meat Marketing Board ...

PS: and, of course it is flammable and could cause an explosion if a match applied ....

[peppermint]

i say leave the cows alone, they are only doing what is natural and what they have always done. Its not the cows fault climate change is so rapidly upon us. We should look at our own activities, after all it is human medalling with natures natural balance and self regulating system that is the main reason.