New Zealand is among one of the top ten greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world, but nothing due from fossil energy consumption from the manufacturing sector! Rather, it has to do with the multiple stomachs of the ruminants! Ruminants animals are characterized by their "four" stomachs and "cud-chewing" behavior. The cud is a food bolus that has been regurgitated. There are about 150 different ruminant species including cows, goats, deer, buffalo, bison, giraffe, moose, and elk.

1. By 2007, the estimated resident population reached 4.18 million people.
But do we know how many sheep live here? According to Statistics New Zealand's Agricultural Production team, there were 40.1 million estimated resident sheep. This gives the sheep-person ratio at 10:1.

The sheep-person ratio of New Zealand is 10:1. as at 2006 -2007

So what has this ratio got to do with the greenhouse gas emissions? The trouble arises because of the four stomach!

Photo: Rootsweb.ancestry

2. It has to do with these ruminant animals having multiple stomachs! That means a longer stay of food contents within the stomach, resulting in anaerobic digestion which produces methane. The 10:1 ratio thus means much more emissions of methane.

Predicted Total and Per Animal Methane Emissions
for 2010 Compared with 1990 Levels

	Total Methane (Gg)	Methane per Animal (kg/year)	Change in Emissions since 1990 (Gg)	Forecast % Change since 1990
Dairy Cattle	446.14	81.9	+220.30	+97
Beef Cattle	237.47	55.7	+7.33	+3
Sheep	483.52	13.3	-130.27	-21
Deer	101.23	24.2	+82.95	+553
Goats	1.75	9.4	-7.9	-72
TOTAL	1270.11		+172.41	+15.7

Source: Clark & Ulyatt, 2002

New Zealand is the only country in the world whose primary ghg emissions is methane, accounting for more than 50% of the country's GHG emissions.

In 1993, New Zealand government, in an effort to meet her emissions reduction target as set by the Kyoto Protocol, proposed a levy on the ruminant farmers because their livestock was the biggest emitters of methane. But the so-called 'fart or burp' or flatulence tax was dropped due to strong protests from farmers.


Flatulence from ruminants contributes to global warming, accounting for about 15% of worldwide emissions of methane - one of the most potent greenhouse gases.

Scientists now focus on R&D in search of a "fuel efficient cows" - cows that convert their food into more milk but less methane - as a preferred approach to combat agricultural emissions.
Meanwhile, Australian scientists are testing a vaccine to reduce livestock methane emissions.

References and related news:

For More Detailed GHG Emissions in New Zealand: maf.govt.nz
Taxing Farts and Burps: Bbc.co.uk Oct 2008
Myth: NZ has 3M People and 60M Sheep: Population.govt.nz
NZ Flatulence Tax Outrages Farmers: Jun, 2003.bbc.co.uk Jun, 2003

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New Zealanders Objected Taxing on 'Farts' and 'Burps'

Predicted Total and Per Animal Methane Emissions for 2010 Compared with 1990 Levels

Predicted Total and Per Animal Methane Emissions
for 2010 Compared with 1990 Levels