Design Day<\/a> on May 1.<\/p>\n\u201cOur project, BelchBlocker, is conceptualizing a liquid feed additive for beef cattle that utilizes the chemical bromoform to inhibit the process metabolic process that produces methane. There are currently no real solutions to this problem,\u201d said team member Will Sykes.<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s conceptual approach was inspired by an article that team member Kyle Fisher read, noting that adding seaweed to modern cattle feed showed promise in drastically reducing livestock methane production.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom there, we identified the active chemicals in seaweed that were causing that methane-neutralizing effect and decided to focus on one of them: bromoform,\u201d Fisher said.<\/p>\n
The team used a specific type of mathematical equation known as a flip-flop pharmacokinetic model, along with some basic rate equations, to simulate the effectiveness of their bromoform additive in reducing methane production in cows. The goal was to understand how the additive would interact with the cow\u2019s digestive system. To help calibrate their model to real-world conditions, the team also incorporated previous research on how much methane cows typically exhale.<\/p>\n
Although the students\u2019 simulations showed promising results from using bromoform as a feed additive, the team members say they will not try to develop their approach as a real product.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not be trying to develop this in real life for a few reasons. One is that major companies are trying to do similar things that would likely beat us to market. Another is that feed additives are difficult to get regulatory approval for and our lack of access to agricultural labs,\u201d said team member Aaron Winston.<\/p>\n
Stephen Farias PhD \u201914 and the team\u2019s adviser, was impressed with the students\u2019 work.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is exciting to see a student concept that is being paralleled by so many major research initiatives and companies. Most of those concepts weren’t public when they started this project so it is a great validation for their idea. Hopefully we get to enjoy some methane emission-free burgers soon!\u201d said Farias.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","class_list":["post-46919","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","news_categories-research","news_categories-students","news_categories-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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