Cow belches have become a big problem in California.
The state’s livestock are responsible for half of California’s methane emissions. A powerful greenhouse gas, methane is “the second-largest contributor to climate warming after carbon dioxide,” according to NASA. Simply put, the more methane that makes its way into the atmosphere, the hotter we all become.
It’s an issue that exists not only in California, but also globally, where livestock account for more than 14% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. To try and make the dairy industry more sustainable, European countries have begun utilizing feed additives like 3‐nitrooxypropanol, which cuts back on methane emissions by as much as 35%. That additive was approved by the European Union back in 2022, paving the way for similar initiatives in the US.
The Biden administration recently approved two grants that will help reduce the climate impact of methane-rich cow burps in America, with special attention paid to California-based cows. $21.4 million will be sent to California Dairies (a co-op representing 300 different farms), while an additional $22.8 million going to the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). The money will be spent on feed additives that reduce methane in cow belches, and both groups have stated that they intend to use Bovaer.
Although it isn’t expected to be approved by the FDA until early 2024, Bovaer is already fully authorized in more than 45 countries, including the European Union, Brazil, and Australia. It’s a feed supplement that suppresses the enzyme responsible for converting hydrogen and carbon dioxide into methane in a cow’s gut. According to Bovaer’s website, “just a quarter teaspoon per cow per day reduces methane emissions from dairy cattle by 30% and up to 45% for beef cattle, on average.”
California has already announced its goal of reducing methane levels by 40% by 2030. As a whole, the American dairy industry hopes to arrive at net zero emissions by 2050. Both goals are ambitious, and the Biden grants will help push dairies closer to their intended target. California Dairies’ vice president of suitability, Darrin Monteiro, is optimistic about the feed additives, saying that the $21.4 million grant will help the co-op cut back on emissions by 300,000 cubic tons every year.
“If we can get 300,000 metric tons of carbon reduced, it’ll be a huge win,” Monteiro told The Sacramento Bee, “and hopefully demonstrate a system for the rest of the country to adopt in reducing methane.”
So, the next time your cow burps, don’t ask it to say “excuse me.” Instead, consider spiking its food with an additive like Bovaer. It won’t only make your dairy operation smell better — it just might help save the environment, too.