Meiji Holdings and dsm-firmenich to improve dairy sustainability with methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer®

dsm-firmenich, innovators in health, nutrition and beauty, and Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. ("Meiji HD"), a leading Asian dairy company based in Japan, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance the sustainability of Japanese dairy farming through the implementation of Bovaer®. This is the first such agreement in Asia.

Bovaer® is the most extensively studied and scientifically proven solution to the challenge of lowering livestock’s methane emissions. In the dairy sector, methane is the most common and powerful greenhouse gas and is mainly generated in the digestive tracts of cows, released when the animals burp. Through the implementation of Bovaer®, methane emissions can be reduced by approximately 30% for dairy, and 45% for beef feedlot cattle.

In 2021, Japan joined the Global Methane Pledge, aiming at a 30% reduction of absolute methane emissions by 2030. Within Japan, over 80% of methane emissions are attributable to the agricultural sector (e.g. rice and cattle). Providing a tool to reduce emissions from over 1 million dairy cows, and over 3 million beef cattle is therefore an important lever to achieve this ambition.

“We are excited to expand the use of Bovaer® into Asia. I’m looking forward to working with Meiji HD to explore how to implement Bovaer® in the Japanese dairy sector and particularly in the Meiji HD supply chain. Preparation works will start now, while we await local market authorization,” said Mark van Nieuwland, Vice President Bovaer® at dsm-firmenich.

Bovaer® is already commercially available in 58 countries including the EU, UK, Canada, Mexico, Australia, most of Latin America, and select other markets. Authorities are currently reviewing an application for registration in Japan.