Cargill Animal Nutrition’s new feed product, SilvAir, can reduce methane production and bring nutritional and environmental benefits to dairy production. These advantages support feed efficiency and can bring cost-saving benefits to dairy farmers.
Trial results where SilvAir has been included at a rate of 1.6% of the total diet dry matter in dairy diets, show that it can deliver a reduction in methane emissions of up to 10%, with no negative impact on performance.
This can result in a reduction of approximately 1kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent/cow/day, which is a saving of up to 36t of CO2/year for a 100-cow herd.
Enteric methane represents 47% of greenhouse gas production in milk production, so a 10% reduction in methane, alongside its feed value advantages, represents unique and valuable benefits.
SilvAir can also provide an alternative source of dietary protein and calcium. These advantages support feed efficiency and can bring cost-saving benefits to dairy farmers.
What is SilvAir?
SilvAir is a carefully manufactured feed grade calcium nitrate comprising 76% nitrate and 22.5% calcium, with a dry matter of 84%.
It works by ‘mopping up’ some of the hydrogen produced in the rumen during fermentation of feedstuffs. This hydrogen would otherwise combine with carbon to produce methane. Instead, the calcium nitrate in the product combines with hydrogen to produce ammonia.
Ammonia is part of the rumen fermentation process. It is a starting point in the production of milk protein.
As a result of these actions facilitated by including SilvAir in the cow’s diet, methane production is reduced. This supports a reduction in the carbon footprint of dairy herds and supports more sustainable milk production.
Cargill has developed SilvAir as part of its sustainability roadmap. Its development is based on more than 10 years of research in the use of nitrate in ruminant diets to reduce enteric methane production, and it is supported by 26 peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.
Importantly, Cargill now holds the worldwide patent on the use of dietary nitrate in methane reduction from ruminants.
SilvAir in dairy diets
Trials have shown that 100g of SilvAir can replace 40g of feed grade urea or 250g of soya bean meal in dairy diets. Also, 100g of SilvAir can replace 60g of limestone in cow diets.
It is safe to use and stable in compound feeds at these rates and has been shown to have no adverse effects on intakes.
SilvAir is authorised for use in animal feed under EU regulations. It must be used in compound feeds at the recommended inclusion rates, that are based on scientific research.
Diets that include SilvAir must be reformulated to ensure correct amounts of crude protein are supplied and excess levels are avoided.
International recognition
Cargill has been recognised for the innovative development of SilvAir in the 2022 Innov’Space competition. The independent panel of judges included this methane-reducing ruminant feed product in its short-list of award winners from more than a hundred entries in the annual international competition.
As an award winner, Cargill will be exhibiting SilvAir at the annual SPACE trade fair in Rennes, France on September 13 to 15, 2022.
“Food production is now more complex as producers must add welfare and carbon emissions into their business sustainability, alongside health, performance and economic parameters,” says Sander van Zijderveld, Cargill ruminant lead.
“We are committed to developments that will help farmers achieve this and SilvAir is a great example of a unique, multi-action and tried-and-tested solution.”
SilvAir will be an integral part of the toolkit used on farms to reduce methane emissions to help dairy producers meet environmental goals and achieve more sustainable dairy farming systems.
For example, in Belgium SilvAir is approved for use in livestock diets, and on the Belgium Feed Association’s list of suggested strategies to reduce methane emissions, which are eligible for government subsidy.
In the Netherlands, it is being tested in commercial dairy farms, in partnership with the Dutch multinational dairy company Friesland Campina.
SilvAir in a nutshell:
- Can lower enteric methane production by up to 10%, while maintaining milk production and performance;
- A nutritional solution with a patented technology backed by more than 10 years of R&D;
- Stimulates a natural process in the rumen, creating ammonia from hydrogen, that would otherwise become methane. This ammonia can subsequently be used to produce milk protein;
- Replaces some dietary protein;
- Valuable soluble calcium from certified sources;
- Accurate feeding rate. It must be incorporated into compound feed, which results in a consistent and measured feed intake.
SilvAir in feed:
- Protein supplement: It contains a high level of crude protein as non-protein nitrogen; 100g of SilvAir can replace 40g of feed-grade urea; and 100g of SilvAir can replace 250g of soya bean meal;
- Calcium source: Silvair contains significant levels of highly available calcium: 100g of SilvAir can replace 60g of limestone;
- Reduces enteric methane emissions: Addition of nitrate to ruminant diets will reduce methane emissions from ruminants.
More information:
For more information on SilvAir, contact Michael Luttrell (Southern Ireland) on; +353 86 254 8827; Gordon Richardson (Northern Ireland) on; +353 87 619 1616; or Dr. Philip Ingram on; +44 7787 578675.
Alternatively, go online by clicking here.
