Ideas worth spreading

Lo que las algas y eructos de vaca tienen que ver con el cambio climático

1,905,789 views | Ermias Kebreab • Countdown Summit

Los científicos tienen bien sabido que las vacas son una gran fuente del gas de invernadero metano y que esto contribuye hasta un 4 % de emisiones globalmente. Pero, ¿podría haber una manera de hacer al ganado menos, em, gaseoso? El etólogo Ermias Kebreab describe una solución ingeniosa para reducir los eructos de vaca ricos en metano al alimentar al ganado con algo que crece bajo la superficie del océano: las algas.

Los científicos tienen bien sabido que las vacas son una gran fuente del gas de invernadero metano y que esto contribuye hasta un 4 % de emisiones globalmente. Pero, ¿podría haber una manera de hacer al ganado menos, em, gaseoso? El etólogo Ermias Kebreab describe una solución ingeniosa para reducir los eructos de vaca ricos en metano al alimentar al ganado con algo que crece bajo la superficie del océano: las algas.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Ermias Kebreab

Animal scientist

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Ermias Kebreab feeds seaweed to dairy cows to find out if it will reduce the methane emissions from livestock.

Breanna M. Roque, Joan K. Salwen, Rob Kinley and Ermias Kebreab | Journal of Cleaner Production, 2019 | Article

"Inclusion of Asparagopsis armata in lactating dairy cows' diet reduces enteric methane emission by over 50 percent"

First ever paper that showed that enteric methane emissions in dairy cows can be reduced by up to 67 percent. This in vivo experiment confirmed previous in vitro-based work showing substantial reduction in methane emissions by adding a small amount of seaweed.

Ermias Kebreab, et al. | PLOS One, 2021 | Article

"Red seaweed (Asparagopsis taxiformis) supplementation reduces enteric methane by over 80 percent in beef steers"

This article shows that the effect of seaweed depends on the type of feed animals are given. It also shows that there was no difference in taste between animals fed seaweed and control. There was an increase in feed efficiency for animals supplemented with seaweed.

Science Friday, 2021 | Listen

"Seaweed Might Help Cows Go Green"

The program covers the question of how methane from cattle can be reduced. A farmer was included in the program to discuss practical application of this technology. The farmer has used seaweed in a pilot program since the podcast interview.

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This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.