What is the new vaccine for cow burps? Why is it needed?

Everyone knows climate change is a huge problem.

Now, one start-up firm is attempting to solve at least part of the problem by targeting cow burps.

Yes, you read that right – cow burps.

But what do we know about the vaccine? And why is it targeting cow burps?

Let’s take a closer look:

What do we know about the vaccine?

According to New Scientist, the vaccine has been developed by US start-up ArkeaBio.

The vaccine, a prototype, reduced methane emissions from cattle by 13 per cent in a trial involving 10 cows.

The Boston-based firm founded in 2021 wants to launch the vaccine commercially by 2027.

It says the vaccine targets methane-producing microorganisms – known as methanogens – in the cows’ saliva and digestive tracks, as per Bloomberg.

It would stimulate antibodies to bind to and neutralise methanogens, as per the Boston Globe.

Cattle would likely need to receive the vaccine twice a year.

“The tools to make a really good run at this haven’t existed until the cost of sequencing and the cost of biotechnology came down substantially over the last five to 10 years,” ArkeaBio CEO Colin South told the outlet in May.

According to The Pinnacle Gazette, ArkeaBio conducted the year-long trials with help from Texas A&M University.

“We’ve moved a long way over the last 18 months or so,” South, who has a PhD in bioprocess engineering, told the outlet.

The company earlier raised $26.5 million from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a climate investment fund established by Bill Gates

Why is it targeting cow burps?

Though some snigger at the firm targeting cow burps, it is no laughing matter.

Methane contributes to around 30 per cent of global warming.

When it comes to trapping heat, it is far more efficient than carbon dioxide – 28 times more so over a century.

Sixty per cent of all methane emissions come from human activity – the largest of which is agriculture.

Agriculture releases more methane than fossil fuels and waste, as per the International Energy Agency.

Livestock contribute about 11 to 17 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions— more than all the vehicles on planet earth.

Cow burps and farts from the billion or so cattle comprise a significant chunk of these, as per New Scientist.

Meanwhile, cow burps make up around five per cent of all methane emissions.

According to Earth.org, cattle such as cows, deer, sheep, and buffalo are called ruminants.

They produce methane as result of fermenting grasses and hay in their rumen – the first part of their digestive tract.

They do so by quickly devouring grass and hay – which is later digested by re-chewing it.

Meanwhile, the methanogen in their stomach changes the excess hydrogen and carbin dioxide to methane.

The cattle then release the methane through burps and belches, as per Earth.org.

South told the Boston Globe the next step, approval from the US Department of Agriculture, could come within three to four years.

He also told The Pinnacle Gazette he hoped his vaccine could be a safe and effective tool in the fight against climate change.

He told Bloomberg the vaccine could be distributed through the already extensive agricultural supply channels.

“The opportunity to create something that fits in with normal farm practices, which is a vaccine and one which has no likelihood of impact in the quality of milk or meat, means that we’ve really got a huge addressable audience,” he said.

“Reducing methane emissions from the agricultural sector is one of the most pressing challenges in today’s fight against climate change,” Chris Rivest, chairman of the board at ArkeaBio, and a partner at Breakthrough, told the Boston Globe. “ArkeaBio’s approach using innovative vaccine technologies will create effective and massively scalable solutions.”

But ArkeaBio isn’t the only company targeting cow burps.

Major dairy firms like Lactalis USA are experimenting with using seaweed supplements in cattle feed, according to The Pinnacle Gazette.

The supplements have reduced cattle emissions by 70 per cent.

However, bringing this method to scale remains a significant logistics issue.

As per Bloomberg, other firms have developed cattle masks to trap methane.