Use of Bovaer® in dairy cows (methane emissions)

Last update: 2 June 2023

• Action: Reduction of enteric methane emission.
• Animal category: Lactating dairy cows and reproductive cows.
• Technique: Use of Bovaer® (3- nitrooxypropanol 3-NOP) as feed additive (Regulation (EU) 2022/565).
• Mode of action: Blocks the last step of methanogenesis in the rumen by temporarily oxidizing the Ni-cofactor in the enzyme methyl-coenzyme M reductase; this reduces the generation of methane in the rumen and emissions in the environment.
• Potential efficacy: On average a reduction of 30% enteric methane emission (emission of methane per day, per kg DM intake and per kg milk); individual farm reductions can be calculated based on the farm ration information using the methane reduction formula published in (Kebreab et al. (2022)).
• Nature of evidence of efficacy: EFSA Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of 3-nitrooxypropanol; peer reviewed scientific publication (meta-analysis).
• Factors impacting on efficacy: Proportion of forages vs. concentrate; quality of the forage (NDF%); percentage of fat.
• Mode of use: Mixed into mineral feed, mash feed or concentrate feed at dosage equivalent to 60 mg Bovaer® (3-NOP)/kg total Dry Matter Intake; delivered all day long.
• Requirements / limitations: The animals must have access to the feed containing the additive throughout the day; techniques under development to allow for access to grazing animals; only the additive delivered by the holder of the authorization may be used; the substance must be added in a mixture by a registered feed business operator applying HACCP (Regulation (EC) No 183/2005); a maximum limit of 80 mg Bovaer® (3-NOP)/kg total Dry Matter may not be exceeded; not authorised in organic production systems; not authorized yet for ruminants other than lactating dairy cows and reproductive cows.
• Economic consequences: Higher feeding cost.
• Side effects: No impact on zootechnical performance identified.
• References:
  • EFSA (2021). Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of 3-nitrooxypropanol. EFSA Journal 2021;19(11):6905, 35 pp. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2021.6905
  • Ermias Kebreab et al (2022). A meta-analysis of effects of 3-nitrooxypropanol on methane production, yield, and intensity in dairy cattle. J. Dairy Sci. 106:927–936. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2022-22211 Arndt et al (2022). Full adoption of the most effective strategies to mitigate methane emissions by ruminants can help meet the 1.5 °C target by 2030 but not 2050. PNAS May 10, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2111294119
  • Hegarty RS et al. (2021). An evaluation of emerging feed additives to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Edition 1. A report coordinated by Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) and the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC) - initiative of the Global Research Alliance (GRA)..
  • D. Van Wesemael et al (2018). Reducing enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle: Two ways to supplement 3-nitrooxypropanol. J. Dairy Sci. 102:1780–1787. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-14534
  • FAO (2023). FAO LEAP guidelines on Methane emissions in livestock and rice systems: Sources, quantification, mitigation and metrics.
  • Covenant Enteric Emissions Cattle – Measure 9: 3-NOP
• Other techniques: Unsaturated fat sources (linseed, rapeseed fats); electron sink (nitrate); methane inhibitors (Asparagopsis taxiformis, tanniferous forages); shift in rumen fermentation pattern (tannins, high digestible forages, probiotics, organic acids, essential oils, decreasing forage-to-concentrate ratio); lower emission intensity (increasing feeding level, increasing feed efficiency, decreasing grass maturity).