Calculating emission reductions adds income stream
Environmental and economic stewardship has been and continues to be an integral part of the DNA of dairy producers.
“As an industry, we’ve consistently focused on how to ensure the next generation of dairy producers can continue to operate their family dairy farms profitably, and that is sustainability at its core,” says Erin Horst, dairy technical consultant for Elanco.
Today, economic and environmental stewardship are becoming increasingly linked as tools such as digesters and feed additives benefit producers’ ecological footprint and their bottom line.
Many consumer packaged goods companies (CPGs) have aggressive emission reduction goals that include Scope 3 emission reductions.
Scope 3 emissions refer to those generated not directly by a company, but within its supply or value chain. This differs from Scope 1 emissions, which are directly controlled by a company, and Scope 2, which includes its indirect emissions.
Consumer packaged goods companies can work with dairies to help achieve their objectives. CPGs purchase carbon credits from dairies to help meet their emission reduction targets, and dairies are financially rewarded for reducing their dairy’s carbon footprint by decreasing their herd’s enteric methane emissions.
“At Elanco, we focus on aligning the needs of our dairy producers with those of consumer packaged goods companies and on finding those interventions that help dairies reduce their emissions and generate assets that the consumer packaged goods company can ultimately purchase,” Horst says.
“Emissions reductions must be linked to profitability. It's important to reduce our carbon footprint, but our producers, more than ever, need to diversify their revenue streams, and feed solution program offer a way to achieve that,” Horst says.
Available interventions that can help boost profitability through emissions reductions include feed ingredients, such as Rumensin® and Bovaer®. Both products provide an access point for dairy producers to be financially rewarded by decreasing their herd’s enteric methane emissions.
Bovaer is a trademark of dsm firmenich. Rumensin, Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates.
For all products: The label contains complete use information, including cautions and warnings. Always read, understand and follow the label and use directions.
BOVAER:
CAUTION: Do not feed undiluted. For use in feed for lactating dairy cows only.
Directions For Use
Thoroughly mix Bovaer 10 into a total mixed ration at 540-720 g/ton of complete feed (100% dry matter basis) to provide 27.2-36.3 mg 3-nitrooxypropanol per pound (60-80 mg per kilogram) of dry matter intake. Feed continuously to lactating dairy cows.
RUMENSIN:
Dairy Cows:
For increased milk production efficiency (production of marketable solids-corrected milk per unit of feed intake):
Feeding Directions: Total Mixed Rations (“complete feed”): Feed continuously to dry and lactating dairy cows a total mixed ration (“complete feed”) containing 11 to 22 g/ton monensin on a 100% dry matter basis.
Component Feeding Systems (including top dress): Feed continuously to dry and lactating dairy cows a Type C Medicated Feed containing 11 to 400 g/ton monensin. The Type C Medicated Feed must be fed in a minimum of 1 pound of feed per cow per day to provide 185 to 660 mg/head/day monensin to lactating cows or 115 to 410 mg/head/day monensin to dry cows. This provides cows with similar amounts of monensin they would receive by consuming total mixed rations containing 11 to 22 g/ton monensin on a 100% dry matter basis.
