UW-Platteville deploys cutting-edge technology to analyze cow burps

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (WMTV) - Faculty and staff at UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm are using a cutting-edge technology to analyze cow burps in an effort to boost sustainable farming practices.

Given Wisconsin’s deep agricultural roots, it’s only fitting that its universities focus their research on cattle. Lately, faculty and staff at UW-Platteville have been measuring what enters their cows’ digestive systems.

“The GreenFeed is a box that has a little receptacle that cows can reach into,” Assistant Professor of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences at the School of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Pralle, said. “And when they reach in there, the box actually knows who she is. It reads her tag and registers her number, and it actually gives her a little bit of pellet to encourage her to stay.”

As the cows consume and regurgitate their food, the machine analyzes the gases, or the burps, that the animals emit.

“It’s very different to what a lot of our students are used to back at their home, farms and operations,” Dr. Pralle said. “But it’s a very exciting opportunity for them to participate in some really cutting-edge state-of-the-art research and gives them a whole new perspective on the science of agriculture.”

The GreenFeed is one of many innovative technologies the university has obtained thanks to the Dairy Innovation Hub, a state supported entity which invests in dairy research and development at UW–Madison, UW–Platteville and UW–River Falls campuses.

“The GreenFeed machine is the latest technology that’s just been added,” Dean of College of Business, Industry, Life Science, Agriculture Dr. Wayne Weber said. “But right behind that is the RIC2Discover feed intake, which allows us to monitor nutrition aspects of things and provides excellent research opportunities because we can look at directly what individual cows are taking in nutritionally.”

Faculty and staff at the School of Agriculture are learning from the new technologies and passing their insights down to students such as incoming sophomore Ethan Bode.

“It’s very awesome to be able to have the opportunity to get experience with this technology because it’s rare and even for a college student like me, it’s rare to get experience,” he said. “If you’re looking to get into agriculture, which a lot of people are that come to Platteville are. This is an awesome opportunity.”

The data the GreenFeed collects on methane emissions will help farmers optimize feed to reduce the environmental impact of livestock.

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