Dutch businesses on a mission to reduce dairy cow greenhouse gas by 30%
Royal FrieslandCampina Dairy and Royal DSM are collaborating to test a feed additive, which will reduce methane emissions
The dairy industry has occasionally been criticized when it comes to the environment, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are a big part of it—not only due to poor waste handling, but also the cow’s digestive system, which is known for spewing out methane (CH4), a GHG.
Three companies based in the Netherlands have embarked on a large-scale pilot to test a feed additive, which shows promise in reducing methane emissions from cows’ digestive systems by approximately 30%. Following the EU’s approval for the additive’s use in February 2022, the Dutch feed supplier Agrifirm will supply the feed additive to some 200 participating FrieslandCampina dairy farms during the second half of this year. Dutch-based Royal DSM developed the feed additive Bovaer over the last decade.