New Zealand targets cow burps to help reduce global warming

PALMERSTON NORTH, New Zealand (AP) — How do you stop a cow from burping? It might sound like the start of a humorous riddle, but it’s the subject of a huge scientific inquiry in New Zealand. And the answer could have profound effects on the health of the planet. More specifically, the question is how to stop cows, sheep and other farm animals from belching out so much methane. New Zealand scientists are coming up with some surprising solutions that could put a big dent in animal emissions. Among the more promising are selective breeding, genetically modified food, methane inhibitors, and a potential game-changer, a vaccine. Because farming is central to the economy, about half of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions come from farms, compared to less than 10% in the U.S.