Dairy manufacturer Arla Foods hit the headlines this week over its use of methane-reducing supplement Bovaer in cattle trials.
“We know that reducing methane is a big opportunity when it comes to improving our carbon footprint at farm level and feed additives like Bovaer have huge potential in helping us tackle this issue,” said UK agricultural director for Arla Foods Paul Dover at the late November trial launch.
But consumers reacted negatively, raising concerns over animal welfare and the potential health impact on humans. Backlash against the brand quickly spread across the mainstream and social media.
Will consumers boycott Arla?
“No thanks, I will be boycotting Arla products going forward,” said one user on X.
“#Arla is off our shopping list forever,” said another.
But in a cutting statement, Bovaer maker DSM-Firmenich was quick to defend the supplement’s use by Arla Foods.
“The recent announcement of the Bovaer trials in the UK has caused mistruths and misinformation about its safety. We would like to bring you the facts and dispel any misconceptions. UK and EU Food Safety Authorities have approved Bovaer and consider it safe for use and effective in reducing emissions,” said a spokesperson.
The company went on to highlight the reason behind the use of the supplement in animal feed.
Limiting farm animal emissions
What is Bovaer?
Bovaer is a cattle-feed supplement, created by Dutch company DSM-Firmenich. It was developed to reduce methane emissions in cattle. The supplement is specifically designed to break down in the cow’s digestive system and decomposes into naturally occurring compounds already present in the rumen (largest pouch of the stomach) of a cow.
Bovaer is included in cow feed at a ratio of 1g per 20kg of feed.
“Bovaer is a feed supplement which consistently reduces methane in cows, allowing farmers, dairy providers, and retailers to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas footprint. If we want to limit global warming, we collectively must tackle methane. One dairy cow fed with Bovaer can reduce CO2e emissions by one tonne per year.”
Despite this, many consumers remain sceptical, which raises questions as to whether Arla Foods will proceed with its trials of the supplement.
Livestock accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the largest portion coming from methane, released by cattle.
