New Zealand plans to charge cattle burps to cut emissions
Cow and sheep burps are huge emitters of methane — which is over 80 times more efficient than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere. But while livestock is the main contributor to the agriculture sector’s emissions, they are often excluded from emissions trading plans. Soon, that will no Read More...
This device helps farmers raise happier, healthier cows
Dairy farmers have a regular problem when it comes to testing their cows’ health and the quality of their milk. They have to ship milk samples to labs for each cow and wait on the results. Two MIT alumni aim to help with their new device which gives the same results in 10 minutes. Testing Read More...
MooLoo mitigates the climate impact of cattle with potty training
Farming cattle is known to be a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions due to their methane-releasing belches and farts. On top of that, their urine and feces combine to produce ammonia, which is converted into nitrous oxide by microbes in the soil. To mitigate some of the climate impacts Read More...
Zelp makes methane-reducing masks for cows
We at The Optimist Daily have written extensively about the numerous ways in which the beef and dairy industry can clean up their act with solutions like seaweed-supplemented feeds and plant-based food alternatives. These days, veganism and vegetarianism are gaining more popularity as we become Read More...
Bacteria in cow stomachs are one solution to plastic pollution
As our world’s plastic pollution crisis intensifies, researchers are increasingly searching for new and innovative ways to address the problem. Enzymes and circular design have shown real promise, and the latest plastic waste solution comes from an even more surprising source: cow Read More...
Why painting eyes on the buttocks of cows can save them from predators
Being a cattle-owning farmer in Botswana is no easy feat. To keep their animals safe from hungry predators like lions, ranchers in the region often have to use costly fencing to separate the cattle from the carnivores, and sometimes the farmers may even kill the predators. But a new study shows Read More...
Burger King will feed its cows a new diet to cut methane emissions
Fast food chains may have embraced plant-based meat patties, but that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped serving up beef patties. The good news (relatively so) is that Burger King will soon start feeding its cows a new diet that can reportedly cut methane emissions by as much as a third. If it proves Read More...
A startup is farming algae to reduce the environmental footprint of cows
In a new factory on the Swedish coast, a startup called Volta Greentech will soon begin commercial production of Asparagopsis taxiformis, a type of red seaweed that’s never before been grown on land. The seaweed is being farmed because it has a unique ability to fight climate change: When it’s Read More...
This dietary supplement cuts methane emission from cows by 26%
At the Optimist Daily, we are strong advocates of a meat-free diet, especially since the production of livestock is the greatest contributor of greenhouse gasses in America. With that said, beef production is showing no signs of stopping any time soon, so we’re open to solutions that minimize the Read More...
Apparently painting zebra stripes on cows stops flies from biting them
The conventional way of ridding cows of biting flies is through the use of pesticides, but this is a toxic, expensive option. In Japan, researchers have come up with a strange, yet effective way of repelling flies that doesn’t require any pesticides: painting cows with zebra-styles stripes. Read More...