This trial, due to take place on up to 30 farms, aims to understand if enteric methane emissions from cows could be reduced through the feeding of a methane suppressing food supplement. Bovaer® claims to reduce enteric methane emissions from cows on average by 27%.
Since its inception, the NFU has played an active role in a government-led roundtable focused on methane inhibitors as we recognise the role they could play in supporting sustainable food supply chains.
In October 2023, Defra renewed its commitment to reducing methane emissions in livestock through plans to encourage the use of methane reducing feed products in England.
The NFU has been very clear that any new product or innovation needs to work in real-life situations, suit a range of farm systems and be incentivised alongside a range of other GHG emission-reducing techniques, such as genetics, efficiency improvements and new technologies.
We have also stressed the need for robust risk assessments to consider the impact of each product on animal health and welfare, food safety and the wider environment.
Is it safe?
Bovaer® has been approved and is considered safe by the FSA (Food Standards Agency) in the UK, the EFSA in the EU and a number of other authorities in more than 68 countries across the world including Australia, Canada, North America and Brazil.
Regulatory and scientific trials, which have taken place over the last 15 years have demonstrated that Bovaer® does not pose a risk to health for consumers or animals.
When used as recommended, Bovaer is designed to break down in the cows’ digestive systems and quickly decompose into naturally occurring compounds already present in the rumen. As such, the product is not present in the milk or meat from an animal and there is no exposure to consumers.
“Only by exhausting a robust certification process, with health approvals and extensive trials, should any new feed product be introduced into our cows’ diets.”
NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins
A spokesperson from the FSA said: “Milk from cows given Bovaer, a feed additive used to reduce methane emissions, is safe to drink. Bovaer has undergone rigorous safety assessments and is approved for use in Great Britain.”
NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins said: “As one of the most affordable, accessible and nutritious protein sources out there, British dairy farmers are rightly proud and protective over the reputation of the product we produce. It has been comforting to see in recent days the depth of feeling our customers share with farmers when it comes to the quality of the food we produce. Only by exhausting a robust certification process, with health approvals and extensive trials, should any new feed product be introduced into our cows’ diets.
“While new FSA-approved products could be useful tools in helping to reduce methane emissions and supporting sustainable supply chains in the UK, questions do still remain linked to long-term efficacy, how they can be used practically and effectively on different farm systems, cost and, importantly, consumer buy-in.
“This latest trial, on a product which has already been approved by the Food Standards Agency as safe for consumers, could help provide some of this evidence.
“Although previous Defra research has shown that shoppers are generally positive towards methane-suppressing products, if it can be demonstrated that human and animal health are not affected, the level of attention methane inhibitors have received over the last week has been a valuable reminder that we must tread the path towards sustainability with care and wider engagement.
“British farmers have a huge amount to offer when it comes to producing climate-friendly food and it is important the supply chain and government continues to work with us to enable informed decision-making on GHG emissions-reducing techniques.”
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