25 October 2019
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Only a quarter of a teaspoon of a new powder is enough to make cows and other ruminants breathe a lot more climate-friendly. Climate scientists are excited about a new product from DSM that could make a big difference to the methane emissions of Dutch cows.
The problem
Methane, like nitrogen and carbon dioxide for example, is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. Roughly half of all methane in the atmosphere comes from natural sources like swamps and peat bogs. The other half comes from human activity, including agriculture.
About 20% of all methane emissions worldwide come from ruminants. Methane is a natural byproduct of digestion in cows and other ruminants that they release back into the atmosphere by farming. On average, an adult cow produces as much greenhouse gas as 1.8 cars according to figures from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). With some four million cows in the Netherlands, the emissions are significant.
Clean Cow
DSM works on scientifically based, sustainable and scalable solutions to the challenges the world faces. From this objective emerged the Clean Cow project, a 10-year research and development program focused on a solution to the problem of methane emissions from livestock.
The first result of project Clean Cow is a powder called Bovaer. Only a quarter teaspoon of this food additive per cow daily is needed to reduce methane emissions. Bovaer suppresses the enzyme that causes methane production in the stomach. It works immediately and is safely broken down by the cow's digestive system. When the powder is no longer given, methane production rises back to its previous level, with no lasting effects on the cow. It also has no effect on milk or manure, according to DSM.
Testing and results
Bovaer has been tested extensively in recent years. This research showed that the product can reduce methane emissions by up to 30%. In the Netherlands this will probably be around 20%, because Dutch cows eat high-fiber grass, which reduces the effect.
A further trial is currently being conducted at the Dairy Campus in Leeuwarden. With this test, DSM specifically wants to get a clear picture of the interaction between the different rations and dosages of the product on the percentage of methane reduction. It is hoped that in this way all the information needed to be accredited by the cycle indicator will be gathered. DSM expects to market the product in the European Union next year.
Promising
Thijs Rompelberg of dairy farm Groenhof Agro is positive about this development. "This sounds very promising. It would mean that we could reduce methane emissions on the one hand and continue to produce dairy as an important healthy food source on the other. Of course, possible side effects must be well researched: is the health of the animals guaranteed? And the costs must be right: additional costs must not be at the expense of farmers' margins, but must be translated into a slightly higher milk price. But if we can satisfy society's desire for methane reduction in this way, that is of course very positive."
Climate Accord
In the Climate Agreement, political parties agreed that the dairy sector must reduce methane emissions by 0.8 megatons by 2030. Professor Han Dolman (Vrije Universiteit) is an expert in the field of greenhouse gases. He expects that the use of Bovaer by Dutch dairy farmers can ensure that this agreement will be reached.