Royal DSM, a global company active in nutrition, health and sustainable living, has received regulatory approval from the Brazilian and Chilean authorities to commercialise its novel methane-reducing feed additive for ruminants. The company has said that these first market authorisations, covering beef, dairy, sheep and goats, mark a significant milestone for DSM.

Intense collaboration among scientists and external partners across the globe has resulted in the Bovaer product.

'Project Clean Cow', encompassed 10 years, 45 on-farm trials in 13 countries across four continents, and more than 48 peer-reviewed studies published in independent scientific journals.

Regulatory approval in Brazil and Chile

Following the first regulatory approvals, DSM can now start introducing its methane-reducing additive to the market. Mauricio Adade, president DSM Latin America, said: “We are excited that we got these authorisations in Brazil and Chile, which makes Latin America the first continent to get approvals for Bovaer.
We are delighted that the Brazilian and Chilean regulatory authorities evaluated Bovaer carefully and efficiently at the same time, and included all ruminants and both beef and dairy in their approval.
"A beef trial with Bovaer at Sao Paolo State University (UNESP) in Brazil conducted in 2016-2017, showed enteric methane emission reductions up to 55%, which highlights the potential of Bovaer for radically more sustainable cattle farming in Latin America," he added. "We are looking forward to collaborating with the Brazilian and Chilean farming sectors to further lower their carbon footprint.”

Climate change and methane emissions

Mark van Nieuwland, programme director at DSM, added: ”The recent IPCC’s climate change report is a massive wake-up call for us all about the irreversible power of global warming.
In it, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) also stated that a rapid reduction of methane emissions could reduce the spread of global warming in the near term and have a positive effect on air quality.
"We know the agricultural and livestock sectors recognise this opportunity for change and are eager to act." Marina Grossi, president of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) continued: "Ahead of COP26, it is even clearer that we need to act now so that we get to the middle of the century with net zero emissions, as stipulated in the Paris Agreement.
This is why seeing the commitment made by agribusiness, a vital sector for the Brazilian economy, is important to us and the world."

What is Bovaer?

Bovaer is a feed additive for cows (and other ruminants, such as sheep, goats, and deer) researched and developed by DSM. The company states that just a quarter teaspoon of Bovaer per cow per day consistently reduces enteric methane emission by approximately 30% for dairy cows and even higher percentages (up to 90%) for beef cows. Upon feeding, It takes effect immediately. After suppressing methane production in the stomach, it is broken down into compounds already naturally present in the cow's stomach.
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