Guest essay by Eric Worrall

Scientists researching the underlying reason for the low methane content of Kangaroo farts, with a view to reducing cow flatulence, have been disappointed to discover there is nothing special about Kangaroo gut bacteria.

According to The Guardian;

For some time, researchers intent on breeding less windy flocks and herds hypothesised kangaroos might have a unique mix of micro-organisms in their stomachs that produce less of the gas. The hope was by transplanting these micro-organisms, cattle and sheep might produce less methane. But new findings suggest otherwise, and should help refocus sheep and cattle research on alternatives that might yield results. The experiment saw red and western grey kangaroos kept in comfy, sealed chambers, allowing researchers to analyse the mix of gases going in and coming out. “We think that the methane is low because of the way food moves through the kangaroo stomach, and not because of a unique gut fauna,” study author Dr Adam Munn said.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/nov/05/kangaroo-farts-could-have-implications-for-farmers-in-climate-change-fight

You might think the next step in the battle to defeat the bovine methane menace, is a transgenic KangarMoo, a cow with the gut processes of a Kangaroo. The Guardian article sadly shies away from this fascinating possibility, and kindof peters out with some vague speculation about researching possible land use changes.

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