Arla Foods to trial methane reducing additive in dairy cow feed

Transcript

00:00Arla Foods is teaming up with major British retailers to trial a new feed additive that

00:04could significantly reduce methane emissions from dairy cows.

00:08As part of the project, 30 of Arla's farmers and a number of retail partners,

00:12including Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco, will trial the use of Bovair,

00:16which reduces methane emissions from cows by 27% on average.

00:20If successful, it's hoped more UK farmers will start to use the feed additives.

00:24Bovair works by suppressing the enzyme in a cow's stomach that produces methane.

00:29By doing so, less methane is produced and emitted into the atmosphere.

00:32However, news of the trial has been met with criticism.

00:35Some users on X claimed they would boycott the brand because of the chemicals found in Bovair.

00:40Although it has been claimed the additive has no side effects on cows,

00:43a report by the Food Standards Agency last year found that a compound in Bovair should

00:48be considered corrosive to the eyes, a skin irritant and potentially harmful

00:52by inhalation to humans handling it. But animal nutrition specialist DSM said,

00:56in every case, the additive has proven safe to animal farmer and consumer.