🐮 A dietary supplement to make cows more 'eco-friendly'

A new international study led by McGill University, in collaboration with Jefo Nutrition, shows that adding microencapsulated B vitamins to dairy cow feed can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing milk yield and milk quality.

In seven countries, the use of this additive led to a reduction in global warming potential - an internationally recognized measure of climate impact - of up to 18%.


The scientists calculated that in Canada alone, its use could reduce carbon emissions by approximately 551,000 short tons (500,000 metric tons). To arrive at this figure, they considered not only emissions from the cows and their manure, but also other aspects of dairy production, such as feed storage and transportation.

"Animal production accounts for about 11 to 19% of global emissions, and feed is one of the easiest levers for producers to pull," explains Ebenezer Miezah Kwofie, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of bioresource engineering at McGill University. "Our goal was to look at what can be done to reduce emissions through feed additives and determine how variations from region to region change the dynamics."

Cow biology taken into account

Most vitamin supplements break down in the rumen, the cow's second stomach, before they can be fully absorbed. The team used microencapsulated B vitamins designed to bypass the rumen and release nutrients in the small intestine, where absorption is maximized.

"Usually, unprotected vitamins are used after calving, when lactation places significant stress on the animal," specifies Prince Agyemang, a PhD student and co-author of the study. "This way, they are released at the right time."

This improvement in nutritional efficiency led to an increase in milk volume produced, as well as an increase in its fat and protein content, key elements for milk pricing. As cows generated more milk per unit of feed consumed, the environmental impacts per kilogram of milk decreased. This optimization also reduced pressure on farmland and water resources needed to grow forage crops.

Methodology and regional variations

Trials were conducted on commercial farms in North America, South America, Europe and Australia, over lactation periods of 120 to 213 days. The ingredients and nutritional composition of the feed rations were standardized to allow researchers to isolate the effect of the additive.

The environmental impacts were assessed in accordance with ISO 14044 and the International Dairy Federation's guideline, which measures emissions throughout the life cycle, from initial production to leaving the farm. The scientists studied the global warming potential per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk, a benchmark measure that accounts for the energy value of milk and allows for fair comparisons between regions.

Regional differences allowed the team to assess the influence of variations in feeding and climate on the supplement's effectiveness. The most significant reductions were seen in Latin America, reaching 18% in Mexico and 10% in Chile.

The environmental cost associated with manufacturing and transporting the additive was minimal, accounting for less than 0.02% of the total carbon footprint per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk.

Next steps

The team plans to model nationwide deployment scenarios and examine combinations with other additives, including those that target methane emissions more directly. They also want to design tools to help farmers communicate their emission reductions to retailers and consumers.