For a long time now, it has been said that cows are one of the main factors that contribute to global warming. The amount of gas that they release into the environment is believed to be the reason. Luckily, dairy farmers are beginning to take initiative and reduce global warming. How are they doing this? By changing their cows’ diets.
Stonyfield Farm Inc., which is a company that is well known for its organic dairy products, are making efforts to reduce global warming caused by cows. They have asked the farmers that work for them to make changes to their cows’ diets. The cows are now being fed flaxseed, alfalfa, and grasses that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids. This is in place of traditional “cow food,” which is usually corn and soy.
So, why is it that the cows’ gas has been reduced by the dietary changes which have been made? Why do these foods react differently in the cows’ digestive system than corn and soy do? Nancy Hirschberg, the Head of the Green Cow Project, explains that it’s because, “The feed rebalances the cows’ rumen, the first stomach of ruminants, and cuts down on gas.” (Yahoo News). She also says that changing the bacteria in the rumen is another one of the ways that the cows’ gas emissions may be reduced.
In the past, studies have shown that gas, particularly through the form of belching, was one of the biggest contributing factors to global warming for the dairy industry. The dietary changes that Stonyfield Farm is making for its cows appears to be reducing the amount of gas that is passed by the animals. One of the farms has seen an 18 percent reduction in cow belching, while another has seen a 13 percent reduction.
The dietary changes are not only reducing gas. In addition to not belching as much as usual, the cows are healthier in other ways. Their coats appear to be much shinier. They are not experiencing as many stomach problems, which is probably due to the fact that their problems with passing gas have been reduced. The cows also have not been experiencing as many problems with their feet. Overall, the vet bills for the farmers have gone down since beginning this diet.
It is great to see that one dairy company is taking action against global warming by changing their cows diets. Is it really going to make an impact on the environment, however? All that we can hope is that other dairy farms and independent farmers will follow suit and change their cows’ diets as well. Keep in mind that this means in the entire world, not just the United States.
