Startup modulating the rumen microbiome to suppress methane
Co-founder and CEO, Dr Andrew Leech, elaborates: “We are precisely modulating the microbiome of the gut – the rumen – by using a proprietary probiotic/prebiotic feed supplement. This approach delivers a reduction in methane emissions while simultaneously increasing production efficiency, resulting in more milk or meat per unit of feed intake for beef and dairy producers.”
Bovotica, a spinout from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), was runner-up in the university’s pitching competition last December and a finalist at the Pitch in the Paddock competition at Beef2024.
The startup is collaborating with Australian Country Choice (ACC), a vertically integrated beef processor, on research efforts.
“ACC is assisting Bovotica by supplying fresh rumen samples from a variety of cattle, allowing us to build a biobank of rumen bacteria and set up rumen bioreactors for in vitro testing of our products,” Dr Leech tells FeedNavigator.
Modulating the microbiome
He explains the specific changes being made to the cattle’s rumen microbiome and the workings of their proprietary feed supplement: “The probiotics are mainly hydrogenotrophic bacteria that naturally occur in the rumen. Our approach increases their number so they can outcompete methanogenic archaea for hydrogen, reducing the pool of hydrogen available for methanogenesis, thereby decreasing methane production. Additionally, our probiotics use the sequestered hydrogen to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are crucial for driving weight gain in cattle. This technology improves feed efficiency by redirecting energy from methane production to production efficiency.”
Bovotica's technology is inherently scalable, says Dr Leech; he does not foresee any issues that would prevent the company from supplying the product to the Australian beef and dairy sectors.
While the supplement is currently being tested and developed internally and has not yet been field-tested by farmers, Bovotica has received very favorable feedback from a range of producers, he adds.
Carbon credits
Focused on bringing its products to market quickly, Bovotica aims to provide economic benefits to beef and dairy producers and contribute to the sustainability goals of the Australian livestock sector: “Our technology will increase weight gain and milk production by improving feed efficiency, providing direct financial benefits to producers. Additionally, producers can earn Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) for reducing methane, which can offset other carbon-producing elements of their farming practices,” says Dr Leech.
To ensure eventual approval from the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA), Bovotica has engaged a top regulatory consultant and is incorporating feedback from that specialist into its development and product design.
Participation in accelerator programs such as Sparklabs Cultiv8 Cleantech Accelerator and Farmers2Founders is also helping boost industry awareness about Bovotica’s strategy.
