Climate-friendly feed reduces methane emissions from cows

Ruminating dairy cows emit around 100 kilograms of methane per year. This greenhouse gas has over 20 times the climate impact of CO2 and is a significant contributor to global warming. More than three per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Switzerland can be attributed to dairy cows. 

Over one million tonnes of milk are processed in the Migros value chain. As such, dairy processing represents a high proportion of the overall emissions caused by the Migros Group. Through this climate protection project, existing mineral feed – which contains important nutrients for animal health – is supplemented with a mix of natural plant extracts that are scientifically proven to reduce methane emissions from dairy cows by around nine per cent.

6,000 dairy cows from 200 operations are already fed with the climate-friendly feed. This feed is specially formulated for the mineral requirements of dairy cows.

Anita Schwegler, Head of Sustainability and Environment, fenaco

The project is being carried out in cooperation with the fenaco cooperative, which has been conducting the climate protection project “UFA Swiss Climate Feed” in Switzerland since 2021. Under this project, farmers can order the mineral feed with the added extract from Agolin Ruminant at no extra cost. Feeding the animals with this mix leads to emissions reductions which can be quantified and externally audited. The proportion of savings attributable to the Migros value chain is funded by the M Climate Fund, and this reduction is credited to Migros.

The feed is used in various operations throughout Switzerland. UFA, a subsidiary of the fenaco cooperative, is responsible for distributing the product, which reaches farmers through LANDI stores. These farmers have the choice of buying the existing fenaco feed with or without the added plant extracts.