Scientists just discovered what is fueling cows' potent burps

"A single bovine can belch out as much as 220 pounds of methane in a year. The findings could help scientists trying to combat how much methane cattle emit."

"Researchers describe how hydrogenobodies in rumen ciliates in the guts of dairy cows remove oxygen and produce hydrogen which other microbes then use to make methane."

"Methane is a key greenhouse gas—nearly 30 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Livestock production is estimated to be responsible for nearly 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions."

Cattle produce substantial methane emissions, with a single bovine belching up to 220 pounds annually. Research identifies hydrogenobodies in rumen ciliates as crucial for methane production. These microbes remove oxygen and generate hydrogen, which is then utilized by other microbes to create methane. This discovery enhances understanding of methane emissions from cattle, which are a major agricultural source of greenhouse gases, accounting for nearly 15 percent of global emissions. Methane is significantly more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com