How rude! When animals like sheep and cows burp or fart, they release methane into the air. Methane is a greenhouse gas. It traps heat in Earth’s atmosphere and warms the planet. About 18 percent of all greenhouse gases come from livestock. Scientists in New Zealand may have found a way to cut those emissions.
The researchers discovered that sheep pass the trait for gassiness from parent to offspring. So they set out to breed sheep that burped and farted less. After three generations, the offspring released 10 percent less methane than typical sheep. If the method works on cattle too, even more emissions could be cut.
“This environmental issue is important for New Zealand and for the world,” says Suzanne Rowe, the biologist who led the study.