FDA approves Bovaer for use in US dairy cattle

Also known as 3-NOP, Bovaer has met the safety and efficacy requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) following a multi-year review, paving the way for its commercial launch in late 2024.

Produced by dsm-firmenich and distributed in North America by Elanco Animal Health Inc., the supplement works by suppressing the enzyme in the cow’s rumen that forms methane.

Feeding one tablespoon of Bovaer per lactating cow per day can reduce methane emissions by 30%, or 1.2 metric tons of CO2e annually.

Reducing enteric methane emissions from dairy cattle is a key stumbling block for the dairy industry globally. Methane lasts about a decade in the atmosphere and is 27x more potent than carbon dioxide at trapping heat—so smaller reductions create greater impact on temperature.

At the same time, leveraging methane-reducing solutions can allow farmers to benefit from environmental programs and engage in voluntary carbon markets.

Katie Cook, Vice President, Livestock Sustainability and Farm Animal Marketing at Elanco, explained: “At an added cost of a few cents a gallon of milk, Bovaer can help food companies meet their climate commitments and consumer desire for more sustainable dairy products.

“Meanwhile, by engaging in voluntary carbon markets and securing USDA and state conservation programming, dairy producers have a scalable sustainability practice with the potential to create an annual return of $20 or more per lactating cow by feeding Bovaer. Our goal is to make this opportunity a reality starting this summer, while creating a self-sustaining carbon inset market for American agriculture.”

Bovaer is set to be launched by Elanco during Q3 2024.