Arla Foods has joined forces with major UK supermarkets to assess the impact of a new methane-reducing cattle feed.
Arla Foods has initiated a collaborative effort with Morrisons, Tesco, and Aldi to tackle the pressing issue of methane emissions from cattle. This initiative focuses on the trial of a feed additive known as Bovaer, which has shown potential to lower enteric methane emissions from cows by an average of 27%.
The partnership is part of Arla’s FarmAhead customer partnership initiative, aiming to integrate these feed additives into typical feeding routines. This approach will be tested with the help of 30 of Arla’s dairy farmers, enhancing the understanding of how such solutions can be expanded to a broader group of farmers in the future.
Paul Dover, Arla Foods UK’s agricultural director, emphasised the importance of reducing methane emissions in improving the carbon footprint at the farm level. He expressed optimism about the potential of feed additives like Bovaer in addressing methane-related challenges. “Bringing partners together from across the food & grocery industry in this kind of initiative highlights the support there is for British farmers in transitioning to more sustainable farming methods,” he stated.
Aldis, Morrisons, and Tesco echoed this sentiment, highlighting the power of collective efforts to drive large-scale change. They acknowledged the importance of such collaborations in overcoming the climate challenges facing the food system, recognising the trial as a crucial step in testing and potentially scaling solutions that could significantly reduce emissions.
This trial is not Arla’s first foray into the use of methane-reducing feed additives. Earlier collaborations included Tesco’s partnership with Grosvenor Farms, which aimed to decrease the carbon footprint of each cow by approximately 1.3 tonnes of CO2e annually. Morrisons also engaged in a similar venture earlier this year, working with Sea Forest to explore the potential of seaweed-based livestock feed in minimising carbon emissions from beef production.
The collaboration between Arla and leading UK supermarkets underscores a significant step towards environmentally sustainable farming practices. By trialling Bovaer, the partners aim to bring about tangible reductions in methane emissions, paving the way for more sustainable agriculture.
