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The tell-tale stench emanating from cattle farms is more than stinky—it can be devastating for the environment. That’s because an enzyme in cow pies liberates ammonia from the urea in urine, sending it into the atmosphere. This ammonia washes down with the rain, changing soil and water chemistry and leading to effects such as harmful algal blooms, damage to vegetation, and reduced biodiversity.
But a new study published yesterday (September 13) in Current Biology suggests a way to stop this problem at the source: by putting cattle in charge of separating their own waste products. The team, led by applied ethologist Jan Langbein of the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology in Germany and PhD student Neele Dirksen, successfully convinced calves to utilize bovine latrines, dubbed “MooLoos.”
The Scientist spoke with Langbein about how—and why—his group set out to potty-train baby cattle.
Jan Langbein: The ...
