Accusations that “less meat means less heat”, inferring that cutting back on livestock production is a panacea for global warming, are wide off the mark according to the Australian Farm Institute (AFI). The Institute’s executive director, Mick Keogh, points to some flaws in the way livestock emissions are accounted for in several life-cycle analyses (LCAs) … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Greenhouse gas emissions
Grass-fed beef has bigger carbon footprint
Grass feeding produces more greenhouse gases than feedlot beef because of increased fermentation in the gut, research concludes. Red meat has a bad reputation among the green-minded for its emissions of heat-trapping gases that exacerbate climate change. Fertilizer derived from fossil fuels is required for growing grain to feed cattle, and cows’ digestion produces large … Continue reading
One step closer to livestock that burp less
On 28 January, the first map of a rumen methanogen DNA sequence was published in the journal PLoS One, giving scientists worldwide a major new opportunity to identify methods for cutting methane emissions from cows. Read more … (Scoop News) Continue reading
Stop eating meat and save the planet?
Delegates arriving at the gates of the climate conference in Copenhagen last month were met by women in furry animal suits holding placards showing pictures of lambs, cows and pigs and warning, “Don’t Eat Me.” But the virtues of vegetarianism as part of the battle to curb climate change are far from being an issue … Continue reading
Wanted: Methane-free livestock
At first glance, the Riswick farm is just another modern agricultural facility: in the middle of broad cultivated fields stand recently built barns, similar to so many other farms across Europe. But Riswick is a model experimental farm in the small town of Kleve, located 460 kilometres southwest of Berlin and a few kilometres from … Continue reading
How cows (grass-fed only) could save the planet
Ever since the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization released a 2006 report that attributed 18% of the world’s man-made greenhouse-gas emissions to livestock — more, the report noted, than what’s produced by transportation — livestock has taken an increasingly hard rap. Read more … (Time Magazine) Continue reading
Burp-less sheep to help tackle climate change
Australian scientists are hoping to breed burp-less sheep in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The agriculture sector is the nation’s second biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions behind the energy sector, producing about 16 per cent of Australia’s total emissions. Two-thirds of that figure is produced by livestock, and 66 per cent of … Continue reading
Carbon Cows: Climate change, science and the future of Australia’s livestock industry
They may look innocent, but Australia’s cows and sheep are together one of the largest contributors to our country’s overall carbon emissions. Australian scientists and farmers are currently collaborating in the hope of implementing strategies that will make the livestock industry more sustainable. With the support of a $26.8 million dollar research grant from the … Continue reading
Beef CRC calls for Copenhagen cattle
As the world awaits the outcome of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, the Australian beef industry is researching new ways to reduce methane emissions in cattle by 50 per cent by 2030. Read more … (Beef CRC, Australia) Continue reading
Brazil / Cattle / Climate Change / Environment / Latin America / Livestock
Climate change: Cattle, the ignored predator
Because of its effect on the environment, cattle must be given the same priority in global agendas as nuclear weapons, wars and, in particular, climate change, says Brazilian activist João Meirelles Filho, author of two books on Amazon deforestation. Cattle farming in Brazil is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions, as it is responsible … Continue reading
ILRI Clippings 