adding: “We cannot accept that a reduction of the number of animals
View From Europe
(being farmed) is the way forward.”
By Colin Ley
Dutch feed additive trials
The best that can be drawn from such a comment, nevertheless, is that farmers and their suppliers have a little time left to convert the current number of potential solutions into one or two genuine answers.
In that context, it is encouraging to see the progress being made by researchers at the Wageningen University & Research (WUR) innovation
GHG emissions take centre stage The restoration of climate change sanity to the presidential office of the
centre in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, concerning methane emissions and the feeding of a novel feed additive to dairy cows.
USA and the approach of COP26 at the end of this year have combined
Headline emission reductions vary from 27% to 40% of methane
to raise the stakes for those battling to control agriculture’s greenhouse
per cow, depending on the diets being used and the amount of Bovaer
gas (GHG) emissions.
methane inhibitor included in the feed.
It is an issue which directly impacts compound feed producers, with
The WUR trial was designed to deliver methane reduction results
methane emissions from dairy and beef cows, in particular, attracting
from three different ratios of grass silage and maize silage, alongside
regular ‘ban them’ headlines around the world. While many consumers
two different dosages of Bovaer. Sixty-four Holstein-Friesian cows in
appear desperate to once again be allowed to book their annual holiday
mid-lactation were enrolled in the study.
flights to the sun, the same people seem more than ready to voice their
“The results are certainly promising,” said researcher Dr André
condemnation of belching cows. This is a frustrating but sadly irrelevant
Bannink, adding that Bovaer effectively inhibits the formation of
part of the emissions story.
methane.
Thankfully, animal feed producers are getting on with the task of
Precisely how effectively depends on the diet the cows are given.
finding solutions to agriculture’s emissions challenge, leaving aside the
The 27% methane reduction result was achieved when Bovaer was fed
inequalities of the overall debate.
at 60 mg/kg Dry Matter (DM) as a supplement to a diet without maize
Although well short of being the worst GHG offenders, farming is
silage in the roughage. The reduction rose to 35% when a low dose of
responsible for about 10% of total emissions, with livestock production
the inhibitor was added to a diet containing 80% maize silage. When the
playing a major part in the process. That 10% figure is an average for
cows were given a medium dose of Bovaer (80 mg/kg DM), the methane
Europe as a whole, of course. Some individual countries, with a large
reduction percentage ranged from 29% to 40%.
and vibrant livestock industry, account for much more on a localised
“Just a quarter of a teaspoon of Bovaer per cow per day reduces
basis. Irish farming, for example, renowned for its wonderful grass-led
enteric methane emission by approximately 30%,” commented WUR.
beef and dairy herds, is estimated to account for 30% of the country’s
“The feed additive therefore contributes to a significant and immediate
total GHG emissions. Scotland, which is another rich source of quality
reduction of the environmental footprint of meat, milk and dairy
beef is maybe a little lower in the emissions league but still sits at around
products.”
24% in terms of its farming impact on GHG totals.
The trial was backed by a broadly-based research/industry
While there are counter arguments to be made about the need for
consortium, including the product’s developers, Royal DSM, WUR,
fairer calculations to be applied to the GHG impact of livestock farming,
FrieslandCampina, Royal Agrifirm Group, De Heus Animal Nutrition
taking a broader account of grassland’s ability to capture and store
and ForFarmers.
carbon, the more farmers and feed suppliers can do to reduce methane emissions the better.
Research partners needed Royal DSM have been working on Bovaer for the past 10 years, by the
Livestock reduction battle
way, a fact which highlights the challenge being faced by farmers and
What definitely needs to be avoided is a cave-in to calls for any reduction
feed companies, especially with net-zero targets to meet in less than 25
of livestock numbers in order to meet future emission reduction targets.
years’ time in some cases.
Returning to our Irish farming example, it has been suggested that
The Bovaer trial is just part of WUR’s contribution to this issue,
400,000 cattle would have to be taken out of production to achieve a
with the Dutch centre being constantly on the look-out for new research
10% reduction in methane.
partners to help them meet their current GHG reduction targets:
Similarly in Scotland, where the devolved government is committed to achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2045, a livestock cut of 300,000 cows is said to already have been discussed by the country’s leaders. Multiply those livestock reduction numbers across Europe and the implications for food, farming and the feed industry are enormous. For the moment, however, a major reduction programme does not appear to be on the cards, certainly not according to Asger Christensen,
• Less greenhouse gases from livestock • Less greenhouse gases from manure • Smarter use of land and peat soils • Emission-reducing animal feed • Energy transition in the agrifood chain An impressive list and vital areas of research for all our futures.
EP rapporteur for the European Commission’s methane reduction
Sustainability and innovation
strategy. He told a recent FEFAC webinar that a “number of solutions
Staying with a Dutch farm business theme, I thought it was worth quoting
exist to reduce the environmental impact of the livestock sector,” before
a few recent sustainability and innovation comments from Rabobank,
Page 20 May/June 2021 Feed Compounder
Comment section is sponsored by Compound Feed Engineering Ltd www.cfegroup.com
