Cows that burp less methane to be bred A cow that burps less is being bred by Canadian scientists in an attempt to reduce the greenhouse gases responsible for global warming.

Cows are responsible for nearly three-quarters of total methane emissions, with most of the gases coming from burps which are 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.
Stephen Moore, a professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, is examining the genes responsible for methane produced from a cow's four stomachs in order to breed more efficient, environmentally friendly cows.
Mr Moore, professor of agricultural, food and nutritional science, has recently published a study in the Journal of Animal Science having completed primary tests to breed animals that produce 25 per cent less methane.
However, more work needs to be done before the long-term impact is known.
He said: "We are working on producing diagnostic markers for efficient animals. We are looking at the next generation of technologies that will enable us to determine the genetics of an animal through a blood test or testing some hairs that you might pluck from the animal."
Ways of having cows produce less methane is to grow them faster, thus lessening the period between them standing in a field and getting to market.
Mr Moore said cows could also be bred to better covert food into muscle, so producing less methane and waste.
Another method already being used to reduce methane emissions is feeding livestock a diet higher in energy and rich in edible oils, which ferment less than grass or low-quality feed.
Nancy Hirshberg, spokesman for the New Hampshire-based Stonyfield Farm, an organic yogurt producer in which Groupe Danone holds a majority stake, said: "If every US dairy farmer reduced emissions by 12 per cent it would be equal to about half a million cars being taken off the road."

アドレス･･･＊要http://www.telegraph.co.uk/scienceandtechnology/science/sciencenews/5612957/Cows-that-burp-less-methane-to-be-bred.html

＊要約＊

温室効果ガスとして二酸化炭素の20倍強力なメタンはウシのゲップに大量に含まれていて、世界のメタン排出量の実に4分の3近くがウシのゲップによるものらしい。
そこで温暖化対策の一環としてウシのゲップの量を抑える研究がカナダで進められている。
Stephen Moore氏は、環境に優しいウシを交配するためウシの4つの胃でのメタン発生にかかわる遺伝子を研究している。
メタン排出量が通常より25％少ないウシを誕生させるための初期試験に成功したが、しかし長期的な効果を測るには更なる研究が必要らしい。

＊単語＊
three-quarters......四分の三
methane.............メタン
emissions...........放出
burps...............げっぷ
environmentally.....環境面で
diagnostic..........診断
livestock...........家畜

＊感想＊
牛がこんなに有害なげっぷをしているなんて知りませんでした。
牛をその改善のために改良するのは良いのですが、そのせいでこの先なにか牛に害が生じ無ければいいです。