Last year, I co-authored a paper on methane from cow emissions. This paper shifted the emphasis from sources (cows burp!) to sinks. And there seem to be a missing sink on pastures – we hypothesize that the OH radicals that plants are creating immediately absorbs much of the pasture-based cow burps. We don’t have proof, but the mechanism is (1) well described and (2) has never been linked to ruminants. In Kiwi English, we concluded:
“The science highlighted here should provide sufficient caution to policy makers before acting on any
blanket approach to methane emissions in ruminant agriculture. Rushed policy changes or on the
other hand over-long adherence to old conceptions could be counter-productive and miss
opportunities to optimise climate mitigation. Before even considering charging for emissions, there
seems to be a lot of scope for improving land stewardship and animal husbandry practices to
minimise methane emissions, optimise conditions for rapid recycling, improving productivity and
food quality “
Our quick-and-dirty technical paper can be downloaded here.
Bruce-Iri P, Purnell Max, Jehne Walter, Arnold Thorsten, Harris Alfred. Sources, Methane Sinks and Uncertainties. October 2021. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355789160_METHANE_Sources_Sinks_and_Uncertainties
There’s some movement now coming along in a recent study (Science Direct): high-resolution imagery of methane plumes on farms are emerging. Findings are consistent with our hypothesis: Methane can be seen around barns and manure piles, and especially around gas wells. But not on pastures with animals. This is certainly not yet a conclusive finding – but it is one step further in bringing light into this a very important puzzle. It is exciting to see how many experts are now looking for this “missing methane sink” that would vindicate well-pastured ruminants on the land!
Please also watch a fantastic movie “Livestock on the land” by the Practical Farmers of Iowa. The movie talks about a plethora of landscape benefits of getting animals out of the barns and back onto the fields – where they have always belonged. If our planet goes belly under, it is increasingly unlikely that we can blame well-pastured ruminants. #Don’t Look Up!
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