Scientists Fight Cow Expulsion with Oregano

Call me crazy, but I love the smell of "cow country." I visited Warren Center, Pennsylvania not long ago and it was the next best thing to visiting one of my favorite places, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The smell in the air in Warren Center made me feel like I was "home" again.

That smell? Oh, that's just the scent of hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, methane and ammonia- all released by cows. Pretty disgusting, right? And yet I like it (as long as it's not so overpoweringly strong that it makes my eyes water) because it's a comfort smell to me.

Well, that "cow smell" as we know it might become a thing of the past, thanks to scientists who are trying to tone it down due in an attempt to save our atmosphere.

Scientists say that the earth’s atmosphere is being quickly being destroyed by the burps and toots of cows. As a matter of fact, the methane put out by cattle is 21 times more harmful to the atmosphere than CO2 and what's more is that they say every day, a single cow relieves itself of about 132 gallons of explosive and climate-changing gas.

Researchers in Denmark have begun feeding cows oregano, just to see if it helps get cow toots under control. Except there's a pretty big problem- oregano isn’t cheap. Oh, and there's also the issue of not knowing how adding oregano to a cow’s diet could affect the taste of milk or meat- which probably wouldn't be a big deal to someone like me who LOVES oregano, but would be a huge deal to someone who detests the taste!

[via Vice/SF Gate]