Canada approved a Bovaer feed additive for cattle in 2024 but now needs to monitor closely the chemical mixture before anyone feeds it to beef or dairy cows.
Bovaer contains 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), designed to suppress methane-producing enzymes in cows’ rumens, potentially cutting methane emissions by 30 to 45 %. Even if successful that would do absolutely nothing to global climate.
The concern, however, is more serious. It appears that Denmark might have been the first country in the world where feeding the product became mandatory. Farms with over 50 cows were required to include Bovaer in feed. Hundreds of farmers reported severe issues, including reduced feed intake in 66 % of surveyed herds, plummeting milk yields in 68 %, digestive disorders like diarrhea, fevers, miscarriages, and even cow deaths.
More specifically, in late November, SEGES Innovation surveyed 1,641 Danish farms. Out of 551 respondents, 376 farmers reported reduced milk production, while 365 observed lower feed consumption. Over 349 herds experienced heightened digestive and metabolic issues.
Authorities allowed opt-outs for sick animals and launched investigations. Norway and Sweden followed by halting Bovaer trials as a precaution. An earlier trial in England on 30 farms was stopped amid a backlash fuelled by public safety concerns.
Also, people don’t like to be forced into doing anything. Did the mandatory feeding colour farmers’ opinions? Was the concern in Denmark overplayed? One could ask the same question about the studies. Who paid for them and was confirmation bias a part of the mix? Were researchers hoping for the outcomes they got?
Sure, Bovaer has been approved in more than 70 countries but there are other issues at play. It is an extra expense, so why would anyone buy it? Denmark is likely the first country reporting widespread use of the feed additive.
Of added concern, does the feed additive make cows less efficient? If so, then farmers would need to buy more cows to produce the same amount of milk. How would this benefit anyone other than the seller of the product?
Health Canada has not responded to the Denmark debacle. It should. The federal health department needs to monitor all cattle that are fed the Bovaer additive in Canada and Canadian farmers need to know how many farmers are using it. As important, the federal government needs to listen to farmers who report any effects on their herds.
Canada’s approval of Bovaer was based on an Alberta study of 15,000 animals, Health Canada says. We need to know how that data was collected and the conditions of the study. Were these real-world conditions? Were Canadian cattle fed the same amount as in Denmark and under the same conditions? Farmers need to be confident about a product before they use it.
Considering how much bad faith we’ve witnessed by large pharmaceutical companies in recent years, undermining studies in pursuit of billions of dollars, there won’t be widespread consumer approval of Bovaer or anything else unless studies and monitoring are highly transparent, independent and conclusive.
In case you were wondering, Bovaer is owned by DSM-Firmenich, a Dutch-Swiss multi-national corporation. Global investment firms Vanguard Group and Blackrock own about 6 % of the company.
Patrick Meagher is editor of Farmers Forum and can be reached at editor@farmersforum.com
OPINION: What to do about Bovaer?
Canada approved a Bovaer feed additive for cattle in 2024 but now needs to monitor closely the chemical mixture before anyone feeds it to beef or dairy cows.
Bovaer contains 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), designed to suppress methane-producing enzymes in cows’ rumens, potentially cutting methane emissions by 30 to 45 %. Even if successful that would do absolutely nothing to global climate.
The concern, however, is more serious. It appears that Denmark might have been the first country in the world where feeding the product became mandatory. Farms with over 50 cows were required to include Bovaer in feed. Hundreds of farmers reported severe issues, including reduced feed intake in 66 % of surveyed herds, plummeting milk yields in 68 %, digestive disorders like diarrhea, fevers, miscarriages, and even cow deaths.
More specifically, in late November, SEGES Innovation surveyed 1,641 Danish farms. Out of 551 respondents, 376 farmers reported reduced milk production, while 365 observed lower feed consumption. Over 349 herds experienced heightened digestive and metabolic issues.
Authorities allowed opt-outs for sick animals and launched investigations. Norway and Sweden followed by halting Bovaer trials as a precaution. An earlier trial in England on 30 farms was stopped amid a backlash fuelled by public safety concerns.
Also, people don’t like to be forced into doing anything. Did the mandatory feeding colour farmers’ opinions? Was the concern in Denmark overplayed? One could ask the same question about the studies. Who paid for them and was confirmation bias a part of the mix? Were researchers hoping for the outcomes they got?
Sure, Bovaer has been approved in more than 70 countries but there are other issues at play. It is an extra expense, so why would anyone buy it? Denmark is likely the first country reporting widespread use of the feed additive.
Of added concern, does the feed additive make cows less efficient? If so, then farmers would need to buy more cows to produce the same amount of milk. How would this benefit anyone other than the seller of the product?
Health Canada has not responded to the Denmark debacle. It should. The federal health department needs to monitor all cattle that are fed the Bovaer additive in Canada and Canadian farmers need to know how many farmers are using it. As important, the federal government needs to listen to farmers who report any effects on their herds.
Canada’s approval of Bovaer was based on an Alberta study of 15,000 animals, Health Canada says. We need to know how that data was collected and the conditions of the study. Were these real-world conditions? Were Canadian cattle fed the same amount as in Denmark and under the same conditions? Farmers need to be confident about a product before they use it.
Considering how much bad faith we’ve witnessed by large pharmaceutical companies in recent years, undermining studies in pursuit of billions of dollars, there won’t be widespread consumer approval of Bovaer or anything else unless studies and monitoring are highly transparent, independent and conclusive.
In case you were wondering, Bovaer is owned by DSM-Firmenich, a Dutch-Swiss multi-national corporation. Global investment firms Vanguard Group and Blackrock own about 6 % of the company.
Patrick Meagher is editor of Farmers Forum and can be reached at editor@farmersforum.com