Cow Farts: Global warmers or a load of hot air?

    • Scientists and farmers around the world are debating a very serious subject. Cow farts. Yes, really, they're talking about farting cows. They're talking about cow burps as well, and sheep burps, and even sheep farts.   

      Why? Good question. Let's start with a look at the science behind wind.





      Problems begin when the layer of greenhouse gases gets too thick and traps too much heat. This is called 'global warming'.


      A scientific report has claimed that dairy cows in California were producing almost 20 pounds (in weight, that's almost 10 kg) of gas every year, each. That's a huge, huge amount.


      Trouble is, some farmers don't believe the report. They reckon their cows are far less windy than that and are questioning the way the research was done.

      Scientists around the world have known for years that animal wind could be a problem. What they can't agree on is how much of a problem. It's very difficult to measure just how much methane an animal is burping and farting out.


      Another problem is that methane doesn't only come from windy animals. It's released when rubbish is processed for instance... which means more measuring and more debate.


      Got any bright ideas? As you'll know from science lessons it's very important to take accurate measurements when you're running an experiment. Otherwise, other scientists won't take your results seriously.


      Would you be able to tell if a cow was holding its farts in until you'd gone?

      How would you make sure your sheep wasn't too shy to burp? It may sound silly, but making test conditions natural is a problem scientists grapple with.

      Back to being serious... funny though farts and burps can be, especially at certain moments in the school day, this is a real worry for farmers and scientists.

      Global warming is a major problem, but we need our cows and sheep and they need to burp and fart. There's work going on to see if changing their food can make their farts and burps less potent - we'll keep you posted on that.

      If you want to find out more about pollution, greenhouse gases or animals, why not visit your local science centre or natural history museum?

      One last thing - keep your fart-measuring inventions as theory only won't you? We don't want to hear about sheep or cows being chased around fields by over-keen Show Me surfers - farm animals like a quiet life.

      If you want to know more, the Science Museum has more information - including a top ten of animals that fart! You can also have a go at spotting other things that impact the climate at Glasgow Science Centre's Climate Change Challenge.
Share This