Because of the special blend of bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence does not contain methane (a greenhouse gas) like cattle and sheep. Scary to believe, but the enteric methane from these animals accounts for 14% of Australia’s emissions, while in New Zealand, those rates re up to 50%.
So, scientists down underare trying to transplant kangaroo bacteria to cattle and sheep to get eco-friendly farts. Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers. "Not only would they not produce the methane, they would actually get something like 10 to 15 percent more energy out of the feed they are eating," said Klieve.
Even farmers who laugh at the idea of environmentally friendly kangaroo farts say that's nothing to joke about, particularly given the devastating drought Australia is suffering. "In a tight year like a drought situation, 15 percent would be a considerable sum," said farmer Michael Mitton
No comments:
Post a Comment