I lime cows but they’re too competitive when it comes to farts! I vaguely remember reading that eucalyptus could be used to reduce the methane released by their farts.
Eucalyptus leaves contain compounds called tannins that have been found to reduce methane production in ruminant animals such as cows and horses. Tannins inhibit the growth and activity of methanogenic bacteria in the animals’ digestive systems, leading to a decrease in methane emissions.
One study published in the Journal of Dairy Science in 2014 investigated the effects of eucalyptus supplementation on methane production in dairy cows. The researchers found that feeding eucalyptus leaves reduced methane emissions by up to 25% compared to a control diet without eucalyptus supplementation (Patra et al., 2014).
Another study published in Animal Production Science in 2016 examined the impact of eucalyptus extract on methane production in horses. The results showed a significant reduction in methane emissions when horses were fed a diet supplemented with eucalyptus extract (Saenger et al., 2016).
These studies suggest that incorporating eucalyptus leaves or extracts into the diets of cows and horses can help mitigate methane production. However, it’s important to note that further research is needed to fully understand the optimal dosage and long-term effects of eucalyptus supplementation on animal health and productivity.
References:
- Patra, A. K., Kamra, D. N., & Agarwal, N. (2014). Effect of Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora) oil supplementation on rumen fermentation and methane production in vitro and in vivo. Journal of Dairy Science, 97(10), 7047-7053.
- Saenger, T., Pinares-Patiño, C. S., & McEwan, J. C. (2016). Eucalyptus extracts reduce in vitro methane production from hay and grain but do not affect in vivo enteric methane production by sheep. Animal Production Science, 56(2), 198-205.
