Cows and climate change

The cow is a ruminant animal and has 4 stomachs: the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum and the abomasum. The first two have a rich community of microorganisms that ferment the vegetation in anaerobic conditions, that is, without the presence of oxygen. Some of these microorganisms, the so-called archaea or archaebacteria release methane gas. This gas accumulates in the rumen and when there is too much pressure the cow expels it belching. A cow can emit about 250 liters of methane a day. Methane gas (CH4) rises to the atmosphere and interacts with infrared radiation and heats the atmosphere. It is a greenhouse gas 20-25 times more potent than CO2. Consequently, when we eat a beef steak somehow we are contributing to climate change. Ways are being studied to reduce methane emissions by means of anti-arch vaccines, by modifying the diet, or by selecting low-emission cow breeds. Instead of the dairy cow we will have the degassed cow.