By Christine Bellport
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville's Pioneer Farm is leading the way in agricultural innovation with the introduction of the GreenFeed machine, a groundbreaking technology in livestock emissions research. The machine, designed to analyze cow burps, helps combat global warming by providing critical data on methane emissions from dairy farms, enabling farmers to optimize feed and reduce the environmental impact of livestock.
“The GreenFeed machine offers a unique opportunity to directly measure the microbial activity within the cow's digestive system,” said Dr. Ryan Pralle, assistant professor of animal, dairy and veterinary sciences at UW-Platteville’s School of Agriculture. “This capability not only aids in improving cattle nutrition but also contributes to more sustainable farming practices by monitoring and potentially reducing methane emissions.”
This sophisticated green box is placed in feeding areas where cows can approach it freely. Equipped with an RFID tag system to identify individual cows, the GreenFeed machine dispenses feed pellets to attract the cows. As the cows consume and regurgitate their food, the machine captures and analyzes the gases they emit through an advanced stove pipe system.