UW-Platteville turns cow burps into research gold

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Pioneer Farm is using something unexpected to lead the way in agricultural innovation: cow burps.

UW-Platteville introduced in a press release Wednesday the "GreenFeed machine," which helps combat global warming by providing critical data on methane emissions from dairy farms, enabling farmers to optimize feed and reduce the environmental impact of livestock. The machine offers users a unique opportunity to measure the microbial activity within a cow's digestive system, shaping the future of dairy farming and setting new standards in agricultural research.

To collect data, UW-Platteville said the GreenFeed machine is placed in feeding areas where cows can approach it freely. The machine then dispenses feed pellets to attract the cows. As the cows consume and regurgitate their food, the machine, which uses an RFID tag system to identify individual cows, captures and analyzes the gases they emit through an advanced stove pipe system.

By measuring the composition of gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, oxygen and hydrogen, UW-Platteville said the GreenFeed machine provides invaluable data to optimize feed formulations and address the environmental impact of methane emissions from livestock. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is a significant concern for sustainable farming practices, and UW-Platteville said the insights gained from the GreenFeed machine are pivotal in developing strategies to mitigate its effects.

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