How AI can help reduce methane emissions from cows

New research suggests that we could use artificial intelligence (AI) to combat climate change in a completely unexpected way. Experts are exploring the use of AI to reduce methane in cow burps.

Cows contribute to climate change significantly with their gassy stomachs. As part of their normal digestion, cows release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

In fact, according to a recent study, methane from cows in the agriculture sector accounts for about 33 percent of U.S. agriculture and three percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

Solutions to address methane emissions

Experts with the ARS Livestock Nutrient Management Research Unit and Iowa State University‘s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering are investigating ways to reduce these methane emissions.

“Developing solutions to address methane emissions from animal agriculture is a critical priority,” stated ARS Administrator Simon Liu.

“Our scientists continue to use innovative and data-driven strategies to help cattle producers achieve emission reduction goals that will safeguard the environment and promote a more sustainable future for agriculture.”

Methane production in cows

Cows digest tough plant materials in their rumen, the largest of their four stomach compartments. In the rumen, microorganisms break down these plants, releasing methane gas as a natural byproduct.

This methane is expelled through burping that contributes to climate change. Scientists have discovered that certain compound molecules can inhibit this methane production.

Bromoform, a molecule naturally found in seaweed, has demonstrated a capacity to lessen cattle methane production by an astounding 80-98 percent.

The catch? It’s a carcinogen, so it’s not safe for cattle consumption and therefore not a viable solution for food safety reasons.

Cutting methane from cows with AI

Facing the challenge of time-consuming and financially demanding research, the ARS scientists decided to employ AI and computational models to speed up the search for a safe and effective bromoform substitute.

“We are using advanced molecular simulations and AI to identify novel methane inhibitors based on the properties of previously investigated inhibitors [like bromoform], but that are safe, scalable, and have a large potential to inhibit methane emissions,” noted Matthew Beck, an animal research scientist.

Teams from both institutions are working hand-in-hand. Iowa State University is leading the computer simulation and AI work, while ARS is identifying compounds and testing them through in vitro (lab) and in vivo (live cattle) studies.

Behavior of molecules in a cow’s stomach

For this particular research, the experts are using what is known as a “graph neural network.” In a nutshell, AI learns from publicly available data about cow rumen and predicts the behavior of molecules that can be further tested in laboratories.

This cycle creates a continuous feedback loop that helps the AI make more accurate predictions.

“Our graph neural network is a machine learning model, which learns the properties of molecules, including details of the atoms and the chemical bonds that hold them, while retaining useful information about the molecules’ properties to help us study how they are likely to behave in the cow’s stomach,” explained ISU Professor Ratul Chowdhury.

The role of AI in methane reduction

The experts have identified 15 molecules that appear to have the same potential to inhibit methane production as bromoform.

The hope is that AI will play a significant role in understanding how these molecules interact with the microbial community of the cow’s stomach – letting us discover novel molecules, and potentially key interactions, within the cow’s stomach microbiome.

Jacek Koziel, USDA-ARS research leader, acknowledges the limitations of current strategies to mitigate methane emissions but sees great potential in this approach.

“This is why combining AI with laboratory research, through iterative refinement, is a valuable scientific tool,” said Koziel.

“AI can fast-forward the research and accelerate these several pathways that animal nutritionists, researchers, and companies can pursue to get us closer to a very ambitious goal of limiting greenhouse gas emissions and helping mitigate climate change.”

The power of AI is only limited by our imagination. From reducing cow burps to combating climate change, artificial intelligence is becoming an important ally in the fight to protect our natural world.

The full study was published in the journal Animal Frontiers.

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