Beef Buzz News
Dr. Frank Mitloehner, UC-Davis, Says Science Tells us With Stable Cow Herds, we Are Not Adding to Climate Warming
Mon, 10 May 2021 07:59:05 CDT
Science tells us with a stable cattle herd, we are not adding to climate warning, said Dr. Frank Mitloehner, professor and air quality specialist in Cooperative Extension in the Animal Science Department at the University of California, Davis.
During a recent presentation to the Animal Agricultural Alliance conference, Mitloehner, who is known as the “greenhouse gas guru” for his research on the subject, explained the science behind cattle emitting methane.
Cows burp out methane as part of a natural cycle as their complex ruminant system digest and break down plant material.
The methane, after about a decade, is broken down, destroyed and made into CO2, he said.
Cows do not contribute additional CO2 to the atmosphere because when the methane breaks down and goes back into CO2, that is the same CO2 as it was when it went into the plant, he said.
This is called the biogenic or biological carbon cycle, he noted, and contrasts with fossil fuels which emit greenhouse gases.
The California scientist uses a bathtub with an open drain to illustrate the issue saying as you pour water in, it flows out, and the level does not change.
That is what is happening with our cattle herds, he said.
Herds are stable and the amount of methane produced by cattle is almost equal to the amount removed through oxidation, Mitloehner said.
This theory is basically in line with the Paris Climate Accords is stressing, keeping the warming constant.
The science tells us with stable cattle herds we are not adding to climate warming, he added.
Click on the LISTEN BAR below to hear more comments from Dr. Mitloehner.
The Beef buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today’s show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
Ron Hays Beef Buzzes With Dr. Frank Mitloehner
right-click to download mp3
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Beef News
Cattle on Feed Report Shows Biggest May First Inventory Since 1996- Drought Pushing Cattle Into Feedlots Sat, 21 May 2022 15:01:06 CDT
Lance Zimmerman with Cattlefax Offers Cow Calf Producers Strategies for Success Fri, 20 May 2022 08:44:10 CDT
Kent Bacus says NCBA is Committed to Promoting Trade to Benefit US Cattle Producers Thu, 19 May 2022 09:54:10 CDT
John Butler with the Beef Marketing Group Communicates to Consumers that the Beef Industry is Sustainable Wed, 18 May 2022 09:46:15 CDT
John Butler with Beef Marketing Group Aims to See All Segments of the Beef Industry Working Together Tue, 17 May 2022 09:44:42 CDT
Fewer Pounds of Beef Coming in the Beef Pipeline Mon, 16 May 2022 09:02:35 CDT
NCBA's Colin Woodall Gives Credit to Cattle Producers for Always Being Sustainable Fri, 13 May 2022 11:08:03 CDT
Dakota Moss Describes Benefits of Utilizing an LRP Program for Cattle Producers Thu, 12 May 2022 09:53:54 CDT
Historically Poor Pasture Conditions to Hit Beef Supplies Ahead Wed, 11 May 2022 11:31:21 CDT
Six Years After Repeal, Senator John Thune Still Wants Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling Tue, 10 May 2022 09:39:50 CDT
USMEF's Erin Borror Suspects Increased Herd Liquidation May Lead to Tighter Supplies in the Future Mon, 09 May 2022 12:29:27 CDT
USMEF's Erin Borror Sees Growth in US Beef Exports for the Remainder of 2022 Fri, 06 May 2022 10:13:22 CDT
NCBA's Ethan Lane Hopes to Ensure Risk Management Tools Are Available for all Sectors of Cattle Production Thu, 05 May 2022 10:37:28 CDT
NCBA's Ethan Lane Believes Grassley-Fischer Bill Wil Not Accomplish What the Authors Are Intending Wed, 04 May 2022 09:18:44 CDT
Dr. Stephen Koontz says Mandated Cash Cattle Trade Will Cost Cow-Calf Producers Tue, 03 May 2022 17:30:26 CDT
NCBA Concerned with the Biden Admin's Plan to Publish their own WOTUS Rule Ahead of the Supreme Court Mon, 02 May 2022 09:03:33 CDT
NCBA's Mary Thomas Hart says U.S. Agriculture Needs a Clear Definition of WOTUS Sun, 01 May 2022 20:37:57 CDT
Don Schiefelbein tells U.S. House Ag Committee that Freedom to Market Matters Thu, 28 Apr 2022 11:20:51 CDT
President-Elect of KLA, Shawn Tiffany, asks Congress not to Limit the use of AMA's Wed, 27 Apr 2022 09:48:23 CDT
OSU's Derrell Peel Says We Could See at Least a 3-4% Decrease in the Beef Cow Herd in 2022 Tue, 26 Apr 2022 06:49:14 CDT
Surprise! Derrell Peel Says Feedlot Numbers Well Above Pre Report Expectations in Latest Cattle on Feed Report Sun, 24 Apr 2022 19:40:48 CDT
Dr. Bart Fischer Says Government-Mandated Cash Cattle Trade Could Reduce Prices to Cow-Calf Producers Fri, 22 Apr 2022 11:00:33 CDT
Cattle Producers Can Strategically Utilize the LRP Program to Secure Profit Thu, 21 Apr 2022 06:49:26 CDT
Dakota Moss Says Cattle Producers Can Benefit from Utilizing a LRP Program Wed, 20 Apr 2022 09:46:06 CDT
Dr. Rosslyn Biggs: Keep an Eye Out for Dust Pneumonia in Cattle During Dry Conditions Tue, 19 Apr 2022 07:53:43 CDT
Andy Holloway on Upcoming Annual Hemphill County Beef Conference Tue, 19 Apr 2022 07:46:21 CDT
USMEF Still Combatting Covid in Today's Global Market, Says Dan Halstrom Fri, 15 Apr 2022 12:29:37 CDT
Dan Halstrom with USMEF Sees 2022 Off to a Promising Start Thu, 14 Apr 2022 13:12:39 CDT
OSU's Derrell Peel Predicts Tighter Cattle Supplies Going Forward in the Drought Wed, 13 Apr 2022 08:26:27 CDT
K-State Researcher Sees Industrial Hemp as Stress Reducer for Cattle Tue, 12 Apr 2022 15:29:42 CDT
Oklahoma Cattlewomen's Beef Advocacy Contest for Youth Winner, Morley Griffith Tue, 12 Apr 2022 15:28:27 CDT
Virtual Fencing and the Advantages for Rotational Grazing with Jimmy Emmons Fri, 08 Apr 2022 08:04:21 CDT
Jimmy Emmons Talks on the Benefits of Starting Down the Road to Soil Health Thu, 07 Apr 2022 13:27:11 CDT
Jimmy Emmons Tells Ranchers to Be Proactive During Dry Times by Prioritizing Grazing Management Wed, 06 Apr 2022 08:42:08 CDT
Latest USDA Prospective Plantings Points to Lower Feeder Cattle Prices Ahead Tue, 05 Apr 2022 11:48:14 CDT
