SPECIAL STORY 48 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE June 2023 which contributes to increased production efficiency, reducing methane emissions in the process. DIRECT METHANE MITIGATION To get to a gross methane reduction, the feed industry is looking at ways to target the rumen’s microbial population to inhibit the production of methane at the source. The industry is also investing in research to find innovative solutions for direct methane mitigation. One example is SilvAir™, a nutrition solution approved for use in the European Union that lowers enteric methane production by up to 10% while maintaining milk production and performance.iii SilvAir incorporates calcium nitrate, a research-proven technology with over 10 years of scientific backing. This solution not only reduces methane emissions but also has the potential to replace some dietary protein and calcium, offering cost advantages for producers. The effectiveness of SilvAir to reduce methane emissions without compromising production and performance is supported by more than 25 peer-reviewed studies published in independent scientific journals. THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FUTURE Ultimately, methane reduction will play an important role in reaching climate goals and will be an increasingly important factor to consider as you run your dairy or beef operation in the future. It’s essential that our industry provides support to producers on this journey. Just like previous progress made by the industry, it's not one technology that holds the answer. It's the incremental improvements that make a difference. We're committed to exploring all the potential solutions with the No. 1 criteria being it must make sense for the farmer and their business. i FAO 2013, Tackling Climate Change through Livestock: A global assessment of emissions and reduction opportunities. ii Judith L Capper, Roger A Cady, The effects of improved performance in the U.S. dairy cattle industry on environmental impacts between 2007 and 2017, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 98, Issue 1, January 2020, skz291, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz291 iii Feng XY, Dijkstra J, Bannink A, van Gastelen S, France J, Kebreab E. Antimethanogenic effects of nitrate supplementation in cattle: A metaanalysis. Journal of Dairy Science. 2020;103(12):11375–11385. doi:10.3168/jds.2020-18541 About Joanne Sharpe Joanne Sharpe is Global Category Lead for Sustainability in Ruminants for Cargill Animal Nutrition. She joined Cargill in 2016, first with the UK team and soon moved to the European team in a strategic marketing role in the ruminant nutrition business, where she was instrumental in the development and launch of SilvAir in Europe. In her current role she works with Cargill teams across the globe to facilitate the implementation of ruminant sustainability technologies and activities and help drive new developments in this space. Prior to Cargill, Joanne had over twenty years’ experience in the animal health and veterinary industries, holding positions in operations, business development and marketing. Her education includes a BSc(Hons) Agriculture with Animal Science and an MBA, both from Harper Adams University. Outside work, Joanne maintains a strong connection with her farming roots; through involvement with the family dairy farm and also she has a small flock of pedigree Suffolk sheep.
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