Dutch dairy company Royal FrieslandCampina, DSM, and feed supplier Agrifirm have successfully incorporated Bovaer® into the regular farming activities of 158 dairy farms in the Netherlands in the world’s first large-scale on-farm use of the methane-reducing feed additive for cattle. The six-month program, which started in 2022, confirmed that Bovaer can easily be introduced at scale without affecting animal health, milk production or milk composition. This work supports the quicker adoption of Bovaer® by the dairy sector, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping the Netherlands to reach its climate targets.
The successful collaboration between Bovaer and the member dairy farmers of FrieslandCampina has opened the door for Bovaer to be implemented across the entire Dutch dairy herd. The move towards sustainability in the Dutch dairy industry will benefit farmers and consumers alike.
Together with its member dairy farmers, FrieslandCampina aims to achieve a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions on its member dairy farms by 2030 (vs. 2015). It is therefore working on various solutions to achieve this, such as using guaranteed deforestation-free soy in cattle feed, digestion of manure, generating sustainable energy on farms and reducing cow methane emissions using Bovaer.
Said Sanne Griffioen, Director, farm sustainability, FrieslandCampina: “Together with our member dairy farmers, we are working towards producing net climate-neutral dairy by 2050 at the latest. It requires continuous improvement and innovation to reach our targets. We are proud to be the first dairy company in Europe to gain valuable practical experience with Bovaer on a large scale. I am very happy with the results of the pilot and the feedback from our member dairy farmers. We are looking forward to continue our journey with our partners, clients and members.”
Added Mark van Nieuwland, VP Bovaer DSM: “We are delighted with the positive feedback from the dairy farmers involved in this large-scale pilot project in the Netherlands, which has confirmed the potential of our innovative Bovaer feed additive. We look forward to continuing our partnership with FrieslandCampina and Agrifirm to ensure Bovaer reaches more cows and makes an even greater contribution to tackling agricultural methane emissions. With these developments we also play a key role in supporting the near-term climate goals of the Global Methane Pledge, signed by more than 150 countries including the Netherlands.”
Concluded Matthijs Spithoven, Product manager, Rundvee Agrifirm: “Agrifirm stands for integrated business advice. We support the farmer with advice on management, feed applications and mineral cycles, on everything from feed materials to the mouth of the cow. Bovaer is an additive that fits well within Agrifirm’s approach. Irrespective of the type of livestock farmer, major steps can be taken in a simple way to reduce methane emissions.” For more visit dsm.com
