Facebook is a huge tool for me to get information about happenings around the world. I’m a big fan of animals so my news feed is usually full of their cute faces. One of the articles that caught my eye, stated they started feeding their cows seaweed. Apparently, this approach to new cow feed has so many solutions to other world problems we all face. Studies are still in progress, so all the facts have not yet been published (more to come).
One of the biggest reasons for farmers adding seaweed to their cow feed is the hope that it will reduce the overall methane emissions. When cows release gas, mainly through burps, they also release greenhouse gas that is
28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide. Reducing greenhouse gas emitted from cows should help immensely battle against climate change and global warming.
However, with the good comes the bad. The chemical in seaweed that prevents methane production is bromoform. This may be a problem because bromoform has shown in the past to deplete the ozone layer. Esstientaly, this solution may just be swapping problems and not stopping problems.
The other two benefits of feeding cows seaweed are healthier and environmentally friendly cow, and a cleaner ocean. These benefits are still being studied. That’s the magic of science; anything can change with the smallest amount of new information.
If you are interested in hearing more about this topic, stay tuned for future posts with updated information and facts.
Day vs. Night 