Ever drive past a dairy and have to hold you nose because of the smell? That one-of-a kind methane smell comes from the waste and flatulence of the cows. Yummy, I know, but an issue of environmental concern? I never really thought so until recently. Research scientists in Queensland are trying to exchange the stomachs of Kangaroos with the stomachs of cows in an effort to cut the methane output and increase the efficency of the food fed to cows. This seems to many a bit extreme and has some farmers laughing at the possibility, but in truth a large percentage of total emissions produced by Australia and New Zealand come from the farts of cows and sheep. Upwards of 14% in Australia and almost 50% in New Zealand, according to the Associated Press.

Farmers, even those who find the prospect of the stomach-exchange funny, don’t laugh at the possibility of getting more bang for their buck in the feed department. Because the enzymes that inhabit a kangaroo’s stomach are much more efficient in the digestion of grains and other food products, if the researchers succeed farmers could save 10-15% of their feed. In dollars, this would work out to millions of dollars a year, which is definitely no laughing matter given that Australia is in an ongoing drought and the price of grains just keeps going up.

Re-engineering cattle is a bit extreme though and there is never any way to be sure of the long-term environmental impact of introducing such a dramatic change to an entire species of animal. A more environmentally responsible option would be for consumers to get away from the non-native cattle consumption and instead eat more kangaroo. Requiring no genetic modification, no vaccination, no herding and no washing kangaroos, if you must eat meat, are easily one of the most environmentally friendly options. I hear they’re delicious as well. And, of course, their farts contain no methane so unless you drive a long way to get some you have very little ozone impact.