Scientists in Germany have trained cows to toilet to reduce ammonia emissions

Scientists from the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Germany conducted an experiment in which they were able to train cows to "potty". According to The Guardian, this could open up a new path towards cleaner farms. Waste from livestock farms often contaminates water, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and soil acidification. For this reason, toilet training has long been considered desirable, but attempts have so far been unsuccessful. In a recent experiment, the scientists tried a method they called the MooLoo approach. The method involves teaching calves to use the barn toilet and collecting urine for further processing. “Cattle, like many other animals, are quite smart and can learn a lot. Why can't they learn to use the toilet? ”Says FBN psychologist Jan Langbein. The calves were trained according to the system of rewards and mild punishments. When they urinated at the designated spot, they were given a sweet drink or some barley puree, and when they ...