Kangaroo farts can curb global warming

Kangaroo farts can curb global warming
Dec 7, 2007 01:45
JOHNNY512 Points: Join Date: Nov 29, 2004 Status: offline	I read an interesting article which says kangroo farts can control global warm. Share it with you: Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas. While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries. "Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep," said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government. "And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 percent," he said. Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers. But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep. Another group of scientists, meanwhile, has suggested Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos. The idea is controversial, but about 20 percent of health conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already. "It's low in fat, it's got high protein levels and it's very clean in the sense that basically it's the ultimate free rangeanimal," said Peter Ampt of the University of New South Wales's institute of environmental studies.

Dec 7, 2007 01:45

JOHNNY512
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Join Date: Nov 29, 2004
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I read an interesting article which says kangroo farts can control global warm. Share it with you:

Australian scientists are trying to give kangaroo-style stomachs to cattle and sheep in a bid to cut the emission of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

Thanks to special bacteria in their stomachs, kangaroo flatulence contains no methane and scientists want to transfer that bacteria to cattle and sheep who emit large quantities of the harmful gas.

While the usual image of greenhouse gas pollution is a billowing smokestack pushing out carbon dioxide, livestock passing wind contribute a surprisingly high percentage of total emissions in some countries.

"Fourteen percent of emissions from all sources in Australia is from enteric methane from cattle and sheep," said Athol Klieve, a senior research scientist with the Queensland state government.

"And if you look at another country such as New Zealand, which has got a much higher agricultural base, they're actually up around 50 percent," he said.

Researchers say the bacteria also makes the digestive process much more efficient and could potentially save millions of dollars in feed costs for farmers.

But it will take researchers at least three years to isolate the bacteria, before they can even start to develop a way of transferring it to cattle and sheep.

Another group of scientists, meanwhile, has suggested Australians should farm fewer cattle and sheep and just eat more kangaroos.

The idea is controversial, but about 20 percent of health conscious Australians are believed to eat the national symbol already.

"It's low in fat, it's got high protein levels and it's very clean in the sense that basically it's the ultimate free rangeanimal," said Peter Ampt of the University of New South Wales's institute of environmental studies.

Dec 8, 2007 03:00	#1
GURTY Points: Join Date: Feb 8, 2007 Status: Offline	Is it possible? The number of kangaroo is relatively small.

Dec 8, 2007 07:28

APAULT
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There is an oversupply of kangaroos in Australia. very simply, they have never had it so good - farmers plant food for them (all sorts of crops) and leave out water in case they get thirsty. They are thriving. Roo meat is delicious but difficult to get. It is difficult to get because so few people will buy it. My only complaint is that it has no fat and is thus very dry. I like to cook it with some fatty pork though even that can be hard to get hold of in our health conscious society.

Although farming roos instead of sheep and cattle would be good for the environment because they do not damage the land like the pointy toes of sheep and the heavy hooves of cattle, they are not easy to farm. They need to roam and move mauch fatsre than sheep and cattle. So at the moment they can only be caught wild. This is not efficient, requires refrigerated trucks to be driven across rough terrain to collect them and is not popular with animal rights people who don't like animals being chased and shot (ahhh!).

I wonder if the scientists can develop a short legged roo, with wool too. Then we might have a chance!!!

Dec 8, 2007 07:30	#3
APAULT Points: Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Status: Offline	Lateral thinking....... perhaps the scientists can develop a device to fit to sheep and cattle which collects the methane. We could then use it to power vehicles :)

Dec 9, 2007 10:06

JCNILE123
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Join Date: Mar 30, 2006
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SYDNEY (AFP) - A 25-million-year-old fossil has revealed that a predecessor of Australia's iconic hopping kangaroo once galloped on all fours, had dog-like fangs and possibly climbed trees, scientists have reported
This is really the great, great, great, great grandfather of modern kangaroos," a member of the Australian team that analysed the bones, La Trobe University paleontologist Ben Kear, told The Age newspaper.
The near-complete skeleton of the prehistoric kangaroo was found in Queensland state in the 1990s and represents a new species called nambaroo gillespieae, Kear said.
The ancient animal is part of an extinct group of kangaroos known as the balbaridae, which is believed to have been replaced over time by the direct ancestors of modern kangaroos.
Kear said the study found the nambaroo, which was about the size of a small dog and had canine fangs, had "big, muscly forearms" that showed it galloped or bounded like a brush-tailed possum.
The ancient kangaroo also had opposable "big" toes and flexible feet, a sign it had some climbing ability, like modern tree kangaroos. It lived in dense forest, which suggests a diet of fruit and fungi.
"You've got this primitive kangaroo, imagine it's climbing low branches, bounding around the forest floor, eating fungi, eating fallen fruit," Kear said.

Dec 18, 2007 20:28	#5
ICEBLUE Points: Join Date: Aug 30, 2007 Status: Offline	APAULT, Congratulations! This means your country ( Australia) will make a great contribution to the cause of curbing global warming. (Australia has numerous Kangaroos) LOL!

Dec 18, 2007 20:36	#6
GUEST24125	How about we just eat less farm-bred meat, everyone? When we eat less mass-produced meat, our blood cholesterol is lower, we also reduce the demand for so many cows / pigs that produce all this methane.

Dec 19, 2007 11:12	#7
APAULT Points: Join Date: Mar 11, 2006 Status: Offline	So they called this prehistoric kangaroo 'nambaroo gillespieae'. I was wondering why it was named after an Australian fast bowler, but later on all was revealed - it had "big, muscly forearms.... and flexible feet". Goodonyer Jason!!! ( in the game of cricket)

Dec 20, 2007 02:37	#8
WESTNORWOODGAS Points: Join Date: Jun 22, 2007 Status: Offline	I wonder on earth thought to check on the flatulance of a Kangaroo in the first place? and were they wearing a gasmask? the mind boggles. As for cows, not wise to be near them when they let rip, I was milking a cow by hand one day when it let rip, phew what a stinker! Alan

Dec 20, 2007 04:01

JABAROOTOO
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Good one Paul

I also have tried 'roo' or 'skippy' meat and I was not too impressed with it but I think it was more to do with the cooking. My grandfather used to 'shoot' for a living when he was younger and continued intermittently when we were quite young, sometimes bringing a young joey home to scare the daylights out of us kids as they hopped around the living room.

When they were out working, they of course would eat nothing but 'roo' and goanna and witchety grubs just like the aborigines and he thought it was good tucker. Or maybe it was just better than my grandmother's cooking. LOL

I think it will take a generation or two before more of the Australian public can stomach eating 'Skippy'. Those of our generation who grew up on a daily dose of 'Skippy' will be much slower to convert.

Dec 20, 2007 14:52	#10
DODGER Points: Join Date: Jul 15, 2007 Status: Offline	You can buy Roo meat at Coles now. Cheaper than beef with almost no fat.. Pre heat the pan, touch of oil and about 30 seconds a side. Laid on a bed of freshly picked rocket. Dodger.

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