Farm animal gases

[Dom Tuk]

Is it true that the contribution to global warming from farm animal gases is more than that from all the industries in the world?

[Drusilla]

Can't say for sure, but the Californian Environmental Protection Agency have reported that there are 2.5 million cows in the San Joachin Valley and they emit 24 tons of ozone producing gas per day. Multiply that by the number of cows in the world and hold your nose. Apparently, the agency are introducing emission restrictions. Now, I can understand scientific improvements lowering emissions in cars, but how do you stop a cow farting?

[KT84]

I dont know if it is more from farm animals, however farm animals have been part of the ecosystem alot longer than industries have been emiing CO2 etc, so i belive the farm animals arent what is causing the cycle to be out of balance, as they have been here so long. Its the recent invntions that cause global warming.

[MrPahoehoe]

Er, not really KT84. I have no idea how big the San Joachin Valley is, but i seriously doubt it could support 2.5 million cows naturally? Farm Animals have to be included in these studies as their numbers have been massively affected by humans (feeding/protecting/treating illness, etc). The rise in farm animals is most likely to follow closely industrialisation: without industrial processes these vast amounts of animals could not be processed.

[rojash]

Surely the gas they emit is methane, not ozone?

[MrPahoehoe]

yeah, but methane in that atmosphere traps heat & contributes to global warming, its a green house gas.

[Pies]

Human methane emissions would surely be greater than a few bovine trumps so are we to blame for global warming?

[Drusilla]

I didn'y say they emit ozone, rojash, I said ozone producing gas.

[rojash]

I'm fully aware that methane is a greenhouse gas, I just can't see:
A) It's connection to ozone
and
B) what ozone has to do with the greenhouse effect.

[rojash]

It's ok, I found the answers here:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_roads/document s/page/dft_roads_024056-05.hcsp