Dairy co-operative, Fonterra, has partnered with a global science-based company, Royal DSM, to reduce on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
The new collaboration, despite a longstanding working relationship, is based around Royal DSM’s feed additive product which is reported to effectively and consistently reduce methane emissions from cows by more than 30 per cent in non-pasture-based farming systems.
Fonterra asks: Can this do the same for its pasture-based farming systems in New Zealand?
Biological emissions produced by cows are a major contributor to the country’s overall emissions. Fonterra is working to reduce these emissions.
Fonterra Group Director Farm Source, Richard Allen, said that finding a solution to the methane challenge requires more than just the hard graft farmers are putting in.
“We need to find a breakthrough in reducing emissions from cows and [Royal DSM’s feed additive] could provide exactly that. This work with DSM is an exciting opportunity for the co-op.”
Fonterra Chief Science & Technology Officer, Prof. Jeremy Hill, said the co-op wants to explore and validate DSM Royal’s feed additive could work in New Zealand, where cows are predominantly fed grass.
“We also see this as an opportunity to further accelerate our global leadership in low-carbon dairy products to create more value for our New Zealand milk,” he said.
“Fonterra is working closely with DSM New Zealand to ensure that any innovation is well tested and can easily be distributed and used by our farmers.”