The kickback from UK consumers to an announcement in late November by Arla Foods that it was to trial a methane-reducing feed additive, was a major talking point among industry representatives at the RUAS Winter Fair.

In its November statement, Arla confirmed that it was to trial the use of the feed additive, Bovaer, on around 30 farms, in a project alongside supermarket chains, Morrisons, Tesco and Aldi.

A very negative reaction on social media soon followed and it has created a great deal of uncertainty for the wider livestock industry moving forward.

The problem we now face was set out by CAFRE dairy advisers at a conference last February.

They looked at various potential options to cut greenhouse emissions from the Greenmount dairy unit, including reduced fertiliser use by greater reliance on clover, etc, as well as improving genetics, cow fertility and forage quality.

Each of these measures is important, but on already well-run farms, deliver relatively small savings in emissions. That is in contrast to Bovaer, which it is assumed could cut methane in housed animals by 27 to 28%. On its own, Bovaer would reduce overall emissions from the Greenmount farm more than everything else combined, while also dwarfing gains that can be achieved by growing taller and wider hedges or planting some land in trees.

The use of methane-suppressing feed additives was also set to be a central part of a new UK-wide Defra dairy demonstrator project which aims to highlight practical ways to reduce emissions on farms.

If we cannot use these feed additives, where do we go next?

Perhaps some of the focus should now return to our politicians as it is they who have effectively put the livestock sector in this position. Their climate legislation requires countries to achieve net zero greenhouse gas targets by 2050 while treating methane emissions from ruminants (part of a natural cycle) in the same way as carbon dioxide released from fossil fuels. The livestock industry has consistently argued that ruminant methane must be treated differently – perhaps now, some people might start to listen.

Aside from that, there is one positive – it is hard to see consumers signing up to lab-grown meat or insect protein any time soon.