Methane reduction: Bovaer to reach five million cows as factory construction gets underway

05-Dec-2022 - Last updated on 05-Dec-2022 at 12:25 GMT

Bovaer is the first additive recognized by the EU with a proven methane-reducing effect. Image: GettyImages/PeopleImages

Related tags Methane Dairy Sustainability feed additive Beef Meat

DSM’s novel methane-reducing feed additive for cattle will be manufactured at scale in Dalry, Scotland, where construction work on a large production plant has commenced.

The manufacturing facility will significantly increase the global production of Bovaer, DSM's methane-reducing feed additive for ruminants including dairy cows. The groundbreaking ceremony, which took place last month, was attended by Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, and DSM co-CEO Dimitri de Vreeze. The development is supported by the Scottish Government through Scottish Enterprise, the national agency supporting economic development and innovation.

DSM already runs a production plant in Dalry, North Ayrshire, where the company has been producing vitamins since 1958. Today, it manufactures vitamins for both human and animal nutrition there, including vitamin C, vitamin B5 and provitamin B5, with more than 400 staff and around 150-200 contractors in employment.

The new facility will enable DSM to scale-up its production of Bovaer as the company bids to bring the methane-reducing additive to markets worldwide. The factory is expected to open in 2025 and will boast the capacity to manufacture enough product to reach around five million cows, according to DSM.

Reduction of up to 90%

The novel feed additive, which can reduce methane emissions from cattle by up to 90% or 30% on average in dairy cows, has attracted global interest from supermarkets such as Coles Group and dairy processors including FrieslandCampina, Arla Foods, Bel Group, Danone, and more. DSM says it has initial product volumes available for near term market development.

Mirelle van der Kreeft of DSM Animal Nutrition & Health told DairyReporter: “A large number of farmers have started using Bovaer, their experience is in line with expectations, and the first repeat orders are starting to come in, which is a good sign on their experience with Bovaer.

“Recent meat tasting and meat quality tests with beef from Bovaer fed cattle found no differences. This reconfirms that Bovaer is an effective way to reduce emissions without affecting the taste, experience and quality of beef.”

The product is in the early commercialization phase in many countries around the world, including the EU and EEA, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Pakistan, Switzerland, Turkey, and Uruguay, the company said. DSM estimates that since the start of the development of Bovaer, around 15,000 tons of CO2e had been saved.