Danone aims to reduce animal feed emissions through new memorandum of understanding

Danone has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with biotechnology company Ajinomoto Co., Inc. to use AjiPro – a rumen-protected lysine formula.

The feed supplement was introduced in 2011 and has an efficiency of 80 % in terms of the passage of lysine from milk into the rumen of cows, as well as absorption through the small intestinal tract. According to Ajinomoto’s data, implementing the ingredient on dairy farms could reduce emissions related to feed purchases – particularly soybean meal procurement – by around 20 %.

A byproduct of soybean oil extraction, soybean meal contains high levels of lysine. This is an amino acid that lactating dairy cows need in their diet. Lysine, however, must first pass through the rumen before it can be absorbed and affect milk production. To achieve this, a variety of solutions are used, including rumen-protected lysine and heat-treated soybeans.

Purchasing soybean meal has a high carbon footprint. Around 40 % of soybeans imported into Europe come from Brazil. Soybeans produced for animal feed are associated with high emissions due to deforestation.

Danone believes that introducing this supplement to dairy farms will help reduce emissions associated with milk production, while increasing milk production.

The dairy giant claims that palm and soy only account for 5 billion pounds of the animal feed it uses. Yet 75 billion pounds of the world's soy is used in animal feed.

Danone Public engagementThe company will conduct a risk analysis of its animal feed purchases by the end of FY25 and will "encourage" dairy farmers to only buy feed from suppliers who meet their commitments or have credible certifications by 2025.

Jean-Yves Krummenacher explains: "With Ajinomoto, we are expanding our toolbox to provide solutions to dairy farmers. These have a dual effect: on the one hand, reducing GHGs on farms, and on the other hand, helping them increase their profit margin and, consequently, strengthen their resilience."

According to the test results, this feed supplement can also reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions from slurry by about 25 %. When combined with amino acid-balanced feed, it is possible to increase methane-reducing additives by about 30 %. Danone aims to reduce methane emissions from its fresh milk by 30 %.

Danone plans to offer the rumen-protecting feed additive to its contract farmers in Spain, Brazil and the United States, as well as to its own farms in Egypt and Morocco.

Ajinomoto and the dairy major will work together to integrate the animal feed ingredient into tools to quantify GHG emission reductions.