As previously discussed on this website, cows are notorious for their acute production of greenhouse gasses, namely methane. One cow can produce 800 to 1000 liters of emissions daily, 300 of them being methane. Although this production can be decreased by feeding them alternative meals, such as clover, alfalfa, or, most notably, seaweed, there is another solution offering to deal with cows’ abundance of methane.

Cow backpacks, plastic packs strapped to cows’ backs, collect the methane gas that accumulates and is usually released through burps or flatulence. This 300 liter bag stores all of the methane created in the cow with a tube connected to their stomachs, claimed by researchers to be completely painless. Instead of that gas being released into the atmosphere, it can be used for energy through usage in driving, cooking, and lighting on the farm.

Although this concept could have significant implications for the future of agriculture, little has been discussed on the topic in recent years. It began gaining traction in 2008, with articles about it continuing until the mid 2010s, there has not been much coverage since. Novel information on application of this product ceases to exist, so until further notice, it does not seem as though it is being used on a widespread scale.

This synopsis is devastatingly short. Although I searched for more information, the articles I found were all the same, and only a few paragraphs long. Additionally, there have been no updates on the innovation, so we don’t even know the effectiveness or future promise that it holds.

My AP biology teacher had been teaching us about the carbon cycle when she brought up ruminants, and we briefly discussed methane emissions when I brought up Asparagopsis. She brought up these plastic bags fastened to cows’ backs to collect methane, of which I’d never heard before, so I was excited to do some research on it. When I did, however, I was disappointed to find very little on the subject.

Although I didn’t find out as much as I’d hoped, I did still learn. Stay tuned to learn with me!

https://phys.org/news/2008-07-cow-backpacks-methane-gas.html

https://bigthink.com/the-present/this-is-how-you-turn-cow-fart-gas-into-energy/