The pilot follows EU approval for DSM’s methane cutting feed additive, Bovaer, in February this year. The project gets underway in the second half of 2022. Providing, the results are positive, the use of Bovaer will be further upscaled from 2023, said the parties.
Participating dairy farms will feed Bovaer to their cattle for a period of six months. The supplement will be added to the feed by Dutch feed manufacturer, Agrifirm.
In addition, there will be talks with other feed suppliers in the follow-up phase, according to the two organizations.
DSM has researched and developed the additive over ten years. Previous tests with Bovaer at the Dairy Campus in Leeuwarden showed an average reduction in methane in enteric emissions per kilogram of milk of 30%, leading to a reduction of approximately 10% in CO2 footprint, reported the company.
Hein Schumacher, CEO of FrieslandCampina, commented on the initiative: "We know that our members are always open to innovation and improvements in our sustainability performance, and with this pilot we will be the first dairy company in Europe to gain valuable practical experience with Bovaer."
Greening its farms
FrieslandCampina and its dairy farmer members are aiming to achieve a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on the farms by 2030. To this end, the dairy cooperative is relying on several approaches from generating sustainable energy on farms to using ‘guaranteed deforestation-free soy’ in cattle feed, as well as trying to reduce cow methane emissions.
The results of the pilot and the experiences of participating farmers will be gathered through workshops and surveys. The economic aspects, together with the costs and benefits, will be considered as well, said the partners.
FrieslandCampina added that it will make sure that every dairy farmer receives fair payment for the supplied milk and reward for the sustainability efforts they make on their farm.
