Because it’s very common to feed cows subsidized grains instead of letting them graze on grasses. Definitely the kind of thing that would create too much methane during digestion. Corn especially has way more sugars than the grasses they’re supposed to eat.
Edit: It appears it’s not necessarily grain but does have to do with the quality of their feed.
The problem isn’t methane production, it’s excessive soluble proteins producing a thick foam that prevents the methane from being expelled through the esophagus. Any feed produces large amounts of gas in grazing animals. What changes is the animals ability to safely vent the gas.
Everything I’ve read has said the opposite, but I’m no farmer.
I see lots of studies saying the grass and hay fed cattle produce more methane from the animals. Diets with high insoluble fiber are diets that create more methane. That said, grain production uses more CO2 than hay or pasture land.
Best thing is low fiber greenery, but that shit is expensive, and industrial farming goes with grass or grain.
what makes you think this is due to misfeeding?
Because it’s very common to feed cows subsidized grains instead of letting them graze on grasses. Definitely the kind of thing that would create too much methane during digestion. Corn especially has way more sugars than the grasses they’re supposed to eat.
Edit: It appears it’s not necessarily grain but does have to do with the quality of their feed.
The problem isn’t methane production, it’s excessive soluble proteins producing a thick foam that prevents the methane from being expelled through the esophagus. Any feed produces large amounts of gas in grazing animals. What changes is the animals ability to safely vent the gas.
https://biologyinsights.com/why-does-alfalfa-cause-bloat-in-cattle/
I’ve seen cows in pasture get this.
Everything I’ve read has said the opposite, but I’m no farmer.
I see lots of studies saying the grass and hay fed cattle produce more methane from the animals. Diets with high insoluble fiber are diets that create more methane. That said, grain production uses more CO2 than hay or pasture land.
Best thing is low fiber greenery, but that shit is expensive, and industrial farming goes with grass or grain.
Yeah, it’s the quality of the feed, not necessarily it being grain. I had added an edit but you probably were commenting before that.
I don’t get why people have these kind of arguments without providing sources. It makes you both look argumentative and not very trustworthy.