Some researchers went as far as developing an entirely new cattle breed in order to limit these emissions, but this genetic modification is currently not proven and its potential effects on human health are not known entirely.

Fast Company reports that a medicine-specialized startup might have developed pills that can help cows reduce their methane output at a low cost, too. Seattle-based Lumen Bioscience is the biotech company that develops this product, which is based on spirulina. The natural enzyme targets the microorganisms found within a cow's digestive system in order to lower the methane output.

"It’s like a sniper rifle, just for the bad microbe", Lumen CEO Brian Finrow explained. The good news is that the spirulina-based pills don't get into the cow's bloodstream, altering the meat or the milk.

Lumen Bioscience researchers first started modifying spirulina seven years ago, developing food supplements for humans based on it, which can treat gastrointestinal diseases, among other things.

Lumen officials now look to establish a new company, called Rumen Biotechnologies, which will continue the research and begin commercial production of this new drug. Additionally, scientists will also look at whether this supplement can help cows gather more energy from the food they eat, essentially lowering their food intake at no nutritional cost.

Cow-testing will emerge soon to find out how the spirulina treatment works in the real world, as so far in the lab, a small amount was proven to kill the methane-generating bacteria in a few minutes.