Marfrig, the world’s second-largest beef producer and Brazil’s second-biggest food-processing company, has kickstarted a pilot project to reduce cattle belching.
The company will try to reduce its methane emissions by giving to around 350 cattle heads in the fattening phase a biochemical compound called Silvair. Produced by Cargill, Silvair is capable of collecting part of the hydrogen generated in rumination, combining it with carbon. As a result, methane production during enteric fermentation – which causes the cattle to burp – is replaced by the generation of ammonia, which has no impact on the atmosphere.
Methane, is naturally produced by cattle…