A news story that garnered some pointed attention this week was the idea of a startup to put masks on cows as a way of methane emission containment. I wonder about two things, how humane this is and how effective it is, since I saw no mention of diapers. Your turn.
I was poking fun at dear Prince Charles in case that was not clear. Years ago he appeared on a BBC documentary on organic farming. He impressed me as a bit to 'simple' to be speaking in public.
Jun 10, 2022·edited Jun 10, 2022Liked by Irina Slav
I always thought the focus on livestock is misplaced. All large herbivores produce plenty of methane. Ruminants are just better at getting energy out of grass. In the north american context if we look back 400 years there was an estimated 60 to 90 million buffalo. We currently have few buffalo but now a 100 million cattle. When you compare other ruminants populations like deer elk moose caribou, those were probably higher 400 years ago as less land was being farmed. I would bet total ruminant biomass has not changed that much in the north american context to be a significant contributor to climate change.
If I'm wrong hopefully someone here will let me know.
Frank Mitloehner (Ag prof from UC Davis) has some great YouTube interviews about methane from ruminants. It is a totally overblown concern as the CO2 is short term and already in the biosphere.
It's not really about the methane. It's about forcing the plebes to live in tiny compartments without heat or AC, never travel anywhere and eat bugs and kale.
I have a friend who is a PhD in the dairy industry. He told me a while back that cows actually belch more methane than they emit out the tailpipe. So masks might seem like a reasonable idea. This is for cows in a dairy which absolutely will not work!
This is another attempt to make dairy farming so expensive people will stop having dairies.
You already know my thoughts about the attempt to remove ruminants and their milk from our diet.
A prime example of Eisenhower's quote "farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field".
I wonder if any of the "tech geniuses" who dreamt this up have spent much time on a ranch. Not a petting zoo with a couple overgrown grass puppies but an actual ranch where cowboys earn everything they have and nothing is freely given.
If they had they'd quickly realize getting an entire herd of cattle to wear a mask would be impossible. Cattle don't live in pens and interact with people daily. They roam the prairie. The increased manpower to enforce cattle masks would lead to more job creation than any other government program in history. The great resurgence of the American cowboy, maybe Hollywood will finally be able to make good Westerns again.
People, it may be difficult for us to see the forest from the trees, but the logical conclusion is that the whole climate change problem would be solved by placing masks on exhaust pipes & chimneys.
Cows (or sheep, goats, etc) are great solar energy converters. Do these people not realize that? Humans cannot consume forage. Ruminants can and do.
In any case, most fugitive CH4 comes from wetlands and rice paddies, not cows and NG.
see for the detailed analysis:
Schernikau, L. and Smith, W. H., 2022, Climate impacts of fossil fuels in today’s electricity systems. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 122, no. 3, pp.
Assuming since we are masking cows, that we acknowledge the fundamental need for cows. We then also need bulls. I would very much like to see a number of prominent ESG advocates put a mask on a bull. Good sport. Will give the PBR a new attraction at rodeos.
Crazy. The next time some one will suggest that we fit the poor, defenseless cows with a mini steam reformer to let hydrogen exhaust from their rears. Why don't we consider reducing the insane consumption of meat -by humans- that translates inefficiently to a miserable 30% protein input to our bodies?
Well.. Irina’s posting got me thinking in a different direction. My mind went down the cow diaper route. I suddenly had visions of the massive changing tables that would be needed, and the giant buckets of Aquaphor. Having experience with large canines and topical creams, covered or not they will lick the lotion/cream away, or they will have a four-legged friend come to their assistance with cleanup. I then imagined how different my experience would have been as a child when, as a family we would go for a Sunday afternoon drive out into the country to see wild animals like sheep and cows. Imagine my horror or confusion of coming across a field full of cows assisting each other with diaper rash cream removal!! Down with cow diapers I say. Think of the kids…..I note all the well thought out comments. This really is some green BS.
All a mask does is to filter particulates. It has no effect on gases. So the methane still gets emitted - unless there is some miracle methane absorbing agent in the mask. Totally barmy suggestion but goes down well with those who follow quack-science.
Wish I was a good cartoonist! There is so much great material at hand these days! But seriously, seriously... it comes out the other end, not the face.. Have you ever seen just how much a cow.. well craps... it's a lot, cow patties as big as dinner plates, and then the gas... well. Then the toxic nose gas... I always thought a cows breath smelled kinda sweet... but maybe I'm just smelling too much toxic nose breath and my brain is addled! The mask will not keep it in, it has to go somewhere... out and around, I'd guess, unless they hook them up for recapture. Something, similar to the horses and hormone collection. How humane is that! PETA will love this! I have heard... not sure how true that is....animal footprint is only 2% compared to everything else, so why get excited by that!
Most times I see cows, they are grazing. How long could you even keep a mask on a cow?
I was wondering about that myself. Maybe they're going to out them on a feeding regimen? That should work, surely.
Justice for cows?
I just googled "masks on cows". The top hit was: https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3175895/uks-prince-charles-wants-put-masks-cows-fascinating-new-plan. If Prince Charles, the legendary organic farmer whose fame has spread to China, is for it I'm for it.
This topic is just too easy for comedy. If I could be serious about it I would first reread everything that Vaclav Smil has written on meat.
The Germans are already experimenting with methane reducing feed for cows and manufacturing lab meat. Salvation is at hand.
It's top comedy material, definitely. The kind that makes you weep in the end, because it's that good.
PRINCE CHARLES: In the year 2011, he says we have just 96 months to avert "irretrievable climate and ecosystem collapse, and all that goes with it." - https://web.archive.org/web/20210211055444/https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/just-96-months-to-save-world-says-prince-charles-1738049.html
The link was taken from The Corbett Report "Are There Limits to Growth? - Questions For Corbett #077" {Many links here] - https://www.corbettreport.com/limitstogrowth/
On the recent June 9th "Beyond Bilderberg(er)'s Civil War - #NewWorldNextWeek" episode, PRINCE CHARLES and the cow mask came up.
https://www.corbettreport.com/nwnw20220609/
I have close relatives in Texas who raise cattle on their ranches. Cow mask salespeople would go out of business in Texas and be the brunt of jokes.
I was poking fun at dear Prince Charles in case that was not clear. Years ago he appeared on a BBC documentary on organic farming. He impressed me as a bit to 'simple' to be speaking in public.
I always thought the focus on livestock is misplaced. All large herbivores produce plenty of methane. Ruminants are just better at getting energy out of grass. In the north american context if we look back 400 years there was an estimated 60 to 90 million buffalo. We currently have few buffalo but now a 100 million cattle. When you compare other ruminants populations like deer elk moose caribou, those were probably higher 400 years ago as less land was being farmed. I would bet total ruminant biomass has not changed that much in the north american context to be a significant contributor to climate change.
If I'm wrong hopefully someone here will let me know.
I do hope Charles doesn't read this and remember that all herbivores are methane emitters
No kidding, he will be out hunting the elephants to save the planet.
Frank Mitloehner (Ag prof from UC Davis) has some great YouTube interviews about methane from ruminants. It is a totally overblown concern as the CO2 is short term and already in the biosphere.
It's not really about the methane. It's about forcing the plebes to live in tiny compartments without heat or AC, never travel anywhere and eat bugs and kale.
I have a friend who is a PhD in the dairy industry. He told me a while back that cows actually belch more methane than they emit out the tailpipe. So masks might seem like a reasonable idea. This is for cows in a dairy which absolutely will not work!
This is another attempt to make dairy farming so expensive people will stop having dairies.
You already know my thoughts about the attempt to remove ruminants and their milk from our diet.
https://mulling.substack.com/p/the-importance-of-ruminants-to-food
My main thought is, poor animals...
A prime example of Eisenhower's quote "farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you're a thousand miles from the corn field".
I wonder if any of the "tech geniuses" who dreamt this up have spent much time on a ranch. Not a petting zoo with a couple overgrown grass puppies but an actual ranch where cowboys earn everything they have and nothing is freely given.
If they had they'd quickly realize getting an entire herd of cattle to wear a mask would be impossible. Cattle don't live in pens and interact with people daily. They roam the prairie. The increased manpower to enforce cattle masks would lead to more job creation than any other government program in history. The great resurgence of the American cowboy, maybe Hollywood will finally be able to make good Westerns again.
Did you say job creation? The magic words! Great quote.
People, it may be difficult for us to see the forest from the trees, but the logical conclusion is that the whole climate change problem would be solved by placing masks on exhaust pipes & chimneys.
I most certainly did not think about that. You're so right!
Which end of the cow will be masked.
Cows (or sheep, goats, etc) are great solar energy converters. Do these people not realize that? Humans cannot consume forage. Ruminants can and do.
In any case, most fugitive CH4 comes from wetlands and rice paddies, not cows and NG.
see for the detailed analysis:
Schernikau, L. and Smith, W. H., 2022, Climate impacts of fossil fuels in today’s electricity systems. Journal of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, vol. 122, no. 3, pp.
DOI ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2411- 9717/1874/2022
Beef is a petroleum byproduct anyway. Just stop eating it.
Assuming since we are masking cows, that we acknowledge the fundamental need for cows. We then also need bulls. I would very much like to see a number of prominent ESG advocates put a mask on a bull. Good sport. Will give the PBR a new attraction at rodeos.
This is pure gold. :D
I'm all for that and ESG rodeo! It would be bull against bull (or bullies). Bring on the hip waders!
Can't fix stupid.
Crazy. The next time some one will suggest that we fit the poor, defenseless cows with a mini steam reformer to let hydrogen exhaust from their rears. Why don't we consider reducing the insane consumption of meat -by humans- that translates inefficiently to a miserable 30% protein input to our bodies?
Well.. Irina’s posting got me thinking in a different direction. My mind went down the cow diaper route. I suddenly had visions of the massive changing tables that would be needed, and the giant buckets of Aquaphor. Having experience with large canines and topical creams, covered or not they will lick the lotion/cream away, or they will have a four-legged friend come to their assistance with cleanup. I then imagined how different my experience would have been as a child when, as a family we would go for a Sunday afternoon drive out into the country to see wild animals like sheep and cows. Imagine my horror or confusion of coming across a field full of cows assisting each other with diaper rash cream removal!! Down with cow diapers I say. Think of the kids…..I note all the well thought out comments. This really is some green BS.
Your comment made me think of toilet training... It does go with diapers, after all.
All a mask does is to filter particulates. It has no effect on gases. So the methane still gets emitted - unless there is some miracle methane absorbing agent in the mask. Totally barmy suggestion but goes down well with those who follow quack-science.
I admit I have not researched the masks that made the news but I'm sure they are special masks that can catch methane. Like gas masks, I suppose.
Possibly but I wonder how the cow manages to eat at the same time
So do I, so do we all...
Wish I was a good cartoonist! There is so much great material at hand these days! But seriously, seriously... it comes out the other end, not the face.. Have you ever seen just how much a cow.. well craps... it's a lot, cow patties as big as dinner plates, and then the gas... well. Then the toxic nose gas... I always thought a cows breath smelled kinda sweet... but maybe I'm just smelling too much toxic nose breath and my brain is addled! The mask will not keep it in, it has to go somewhere... out and around, I'd guess, unless they hook them up for recapture. Something, similar to the horses and hormone collection. How humane is that! PETA will love this! I have heard... not sure how true that is....animal footprint is only 2% compared to everything else, so why get excited by that!