Rapeseed oil could cut methane emission produced by cows in 42 billion kgs per year
Scottish researchers proved that rapeseed oil can save the planet by reducing flatus amount in cow’s stomach.
Researchers from Edinburg spent last six month studying the possible ways to reduce methane volume produced by cows every year all around the world and amounts to70-120 kgs.
They fed animals according to the special diet that included rapeseed oil. As a result, the researchers found out that methane emission was down for 25%. That means there will be 42 billion kgs less greenhouse gases per year in the region. The same amount could produce 1000 Titanic cruise liners.
The searchers also would like to select the most vulnerable to flatulence animals. They proved that fat bulls produce more methane and suggested to breed skinner cows in order to low the amount of "harmful emissions".
Professor Richard Dewhurst, the head of 2,5 million ecological project, put the cows with enough amount of food into special chambers so the researchers could measure exact volume of methane being produced. These chambers had integrated smell detector to get gas samples while animals were being fed. Also there are purpose-build respiration chambers to prepare cows for these experimental conditions before animal become a part of the research.
As the leader of the researching project reported the producing methane micro-organisms in cow’s stomach could not bear oil. After adding it to the diet there was obvious reduction of methane amount. All the animals have some oil in their daily meal, so there is only a matter of quantity to keep cows healthy with less flatulence.
The researching team came to the conclusion that one extra per cent of oil reduces methane volume for 3,5% and suggested to add 7% of oil as the perfect amount for the cows’ meal.
