An innovative feed additive for dairy cows will soon be marketed in the EU to reduce methane emissions – a very potent greenhouse gas – produced by the cows.
On Wednesday 23 February, experts from the EU Member States approved a European Commission proposal to this effect, according to an announcement from the institution on the same day.
This additive is composed of 3NP (3-nitrooxypropanol), an inhibitor of the enzyme methyl coenzyme M reductase (MCR), which catalyses the final stage of methanogenesis.
The European Commission based its proposal on an EFSA scientific opinion published on 19 November 2021 looking at the safety and efficacy of Bovaer® 10 as a zootechnical additive for milk production and reproduction in ruminants. The EFA had concluded that this product was effective in reducing methane emissions by cows for milk production.
“It has been estimated that it will cut methane emissions in dairy cows by between 20% and 35%, without affecting production. Its use is safe for cows and consumers, and does not impact the quality of the dairy products”, the Commission said in a statement.
The Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, also added: “Cutting farming-related methane emissions is key in our fight against climate change and today’s approval is a very telling example of what we can achieve through new agricultural innovations”.
She sees this as a way to contribute to the transition to sustainable food systems and to greening of the EU’s agriculture.
The decision by the Commission formalising this marketing authorisation is expected in the coming months.
See the EFSA opinion: https://aeur.eu/f/gm (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)