Jul

1

2008
 
 

Cow pharming



Drugged cows produce more milk, cutting greenhouse gas emissions

cowCows might cultivate an image of gentle, vegetarian all-round pleasantness, but don’t be duped: their methane-laden flatus is the source of ten percent of the global annual emissions of this powerful greenhouse gas. Judith Capper and colleagues report a technological solution in this week’s PNAS. The Cornell University researcher has studied the effects of supplementing cow feed with recombinant bovine somatotropin, the main effect of which is to boost milk production. The knock-on effect of this is a reduction of energy input and waste output for a given quantity of milk. The laced cows have a relatively low environmental impact, presenting conservation-minded sorts with a tricky dilemma: should we ditch high impact organic dairy farming for the pharmacologically modified alternative? Source: Capper JL, Castañeda-Gutiérrez, Cady RA & Bauman DE (2008) The environmental impact of recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) in dairy production. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0802446105

Image: © VeSilvio

Filed Under Climate change, Economics and conservation, Socio-political issues, Tools and technology | 

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2 Responses to “Cow pharming”

  1. james on July 30th, 2008 10:07 pm

    cows on drugs!!! .. what can we expect from a society which drugs humans at every turn in the road … and finds drugs the solution to all problems … furthermore, the study is flawed in ignoring factors, failing to make obvious observations, … such as, what does the drug do to the cows? … they die sooner, and have to be replaced … they are not as healthy,… all these factors are also part of the carbon imprint which is totally ignored. AND as if that were not enough, they totally ignore the fact that the milk comes from drugged-out cow … the milk quality does not measure up … at all .. anyone who knows milk knows this .. and for those who do not know .. what is the point in even telling them?

  2. james on July 30th, 2008 10:09 pm

    just telling it like it is … scientific jargon notwithstanding … . how may scientists does it take to combat global warming? only three .. one to measure, one to check the first one, and one to write it up …

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