Cows are known to naturally emit methane, with a greater warming effect than CO2, during digestion. This poses a significant challenge for dairy companies working to reduce their carbon footprints, as cows are the second-most important source of methane emissions from human activities, after fossil fuels. This concern has led French cheese and snacks maker Bel Group to commit to limiting global warming to 1.5˚C, in accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The end of 2020 saw milk purchases contributing to 52% of the Group’s carbon emissions related to the production of raw materials. Reducing methane emissions associated with milk production could have a substantial impact on the Group’s overall carbon footprint. To tackle this problem, Bel Group has partnered with feed additive supplier, dsm-firmenich, to introduce their enzyme-suppressing additive to one of its major dairy basins. This move is expected to reduce annual methane emissions by 400 tons, and CO2 emissions by 11,000 tons.
The feed additive, Bovaer, was initially owned by DSM before its merger with Firmenich. DSM’s Project Clean Cow, a 10-year R&D program designed to reduce the greenhouse gas footprint of cattle, resulted in the additive’s development. The product has undergone scientific study by research institutions and universities around the world, and it has been found to suppress methane production in the cow’s stomach.
The Bovaer additive, made of nitrate and a bio-based alcohol, is naturally broken down and processed by the cow’s metabolism without affecting production volumes or milk quality. The two ingredients are temporarily bound together by heating to create a liquid form, which is then transformed into a powder for convenient use as a feed additive.
Bovaer suppresses the enzyme that triggers methane production in a cow’s rumen by just a quarter teaspoon per cow per day. This suppressant takes immediate effect and is safely broken down in the cow’s digestive system into compounds that are naturally present in the cow’s stomach.
Bel Group conducted a pilot experiment with dsm-firmenich’s feed additive in 2022 and achieved a 30% reduction in methane emissions from cows, depending on their ration and the amount of Bovaer fed. The company is now starting to roll out this feed solution to most of its dairy producers in Slovakia. These producers supply around 70 million liters of milk each year to make Bel Group’s Babybel cheese for Central European and UK markets. The pilot runs with Bovaer in France have been underway since early 2023.
Bel Group’s low-methane future for dairy is proof of the company’s decisive steps towards sustainability. Simon Bonnet, Bel Group milk purchasing director, stated that they are proud to be able, together with their partner farmers, to bring innovative solutions and transform the agricultural model to make it more sustainable and responsible. Bel’s goal is to make low-methane milk a reality in other markets as well.
Bovaer is the “first-ever” approved feed additive with a positive environmental impact. Other dairy majors, including Royal FrieslandCampina and Agrifirm in the Netherlands, Arla Foods in Denmark, Sweden, and Germany, and Danone in Belgium, have also incorporated Bovaer into their feed. The use of feed additives in reducing methane emissions is a crucial step in achieving a sustainable, low-carbon future for the dairy industry.
