Enteric Fermentation
Enteric fermentation is the production of methane by the digestive systems of beef and dairy cattle. A feed additive called Bovaer can reduce this emission per bovine head, by about 40%, other technological means to reduce emissions in the sector are more speculative.
Critical Success Factors
- reduce the number of bovine animals, particularly ruminants e.g. cattle and sheep
- reduce the rate of methane emitted, per head
- increase the rate of food production, per head
- increase the rate of methane capture
Barriers
- Alignment: Owners of herds do not want to reduce their herds, and neither do their customers or suppliers.
- Demand: Domestic and international demand for beef and milk products is high, and expected to rise with increasing global population and increasing global wealth.
- Culture: The voting population likes cattle: they're picturesque, iconic, and beef is part of many traditional cuisines.
- Nutrition: beef and dairy products are nutritious foods, high in protein. Beef is an excellent source of iron and B12; cow milk is an excellent source of calcium.
- Animal Welfare: Engineering animals' digestive systems and living environments to e.g. reduce methane emissions runs counter to the spirit of e.g. free-range farming practices, and may come at the expense of animal welfare measures.