Wednesday, 27 April 2022 11:55

Local solution to on-farm GHGs

Written by  David Anderson
Knewe-Mg provides the first real step in practical on-farm greenhouse gas mitigation, says Graeme Coles. Knewe-Mg provides the first real step in practical on-farm greenhouse gas mitigation, says Graeme Coles.

Graeme Coles claims he has developed a product that provides the first real step in practical on-farm greenhouse gas mitigation.

"It has been frustrating to hear the dialogue about climate change dominated by pessimism about how long it is going to take to develop new tools to mitigate agricultural emissions," he told Rural News.

"Especially when New Zealand owns the technology to nearly halve total ruminant greenhouse gas emissions immediately."

Coles' company Knewe Biosystems Limited has developed a new feed supplement product from sustainable biofuel production, which he claims provides environmental benefit, enhances animal welfare and boosts animal productivity.

He says the product Knewe-Mg has a prebiotic effect in the rumen of cows, sheep, deer and other grazing animals. He says it helps lesen animal greenhouse gas emissions by cutting nitrogen loss to the environment by 30% and reducing methane output by cutting animal waste per kilogram of milk solids produced.

"The technology does this by improving the performance of the micro-organisms in the rumen, improving the ability of the animal to absorb rumen fermentation products, and as a side benefit, improve the status of the rumen immune system," Coles explains.

He says that science shows that the New Zealand-invented prebiotic increases animal productivity relative to feed intake, enhances animal wellbeing and enables farmers to mitigate both methane and nitrogen emissions.

"It is cheap, safe and easy to use, and the approach is patented, so the benefits can all be brought back to New Zealand," Coles says.

First trials on the product were conducted back in 2008.

Knewe Mg Benefits Graph FBTW

Knewe Biosystems Limited has developed a new feed supplement which it claims provides environmental benefit, enhances animal welfare and boosts animal productivity.

"In 25 evaluations since, an effect consistent with approximately 10% improvement in feed utilisation has always been found," he claims. "What the animal has done with this extra nutrition has varied, but observations include up to 23% increase in milksolids yield, up to 30% increase in weight gain in beef finishers, and 60% increase in weight gain in venison weaners," Coles says.

"Velvet stags show around 15% increase in yield as well as a reduction in aggression."

Coles adds that research has also shown dramatic decreases in empty cows, incidences of mastitis and of calving problems.

"Theese benefits will show up in at least one extra lactation, which is significant contribution to herd GHG reduction," he adds. "Overall, this leads to a 25% reduction in methane intensity of production."

However, Coles believes the most important benefit from farmers using Knewe-Mg is that it can reduce the loss of nitrogen from their herds to the environment by at least 35%.

"Feeding the prebiotic during milking allows the farmer to reduce feed protein level from 14% to no more than 11% - a 15% saving that almost pays for the product by itself," he claims. "Those reduced losses all show up in reduced emissions of nitrous oxide to an extent that has a better impact than eliminating all methane emissions."

Coles says the product's prebiotic technology data has been evaluated by Fonterra and it will be commercially available for the 2022-23 dairy season.

"Farmers can adopt this technology now, exceed the demands of the climate challenge, and make good money doing so."

More like this

Less hot air

OPINION: According to Statistics NZ, the country's greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.7% in the March quarter, the largest quarterly decrease since March 2010 "excluding the pandemic years".

Milk processors and emissions

OPINION: Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – especially scope 3 emissions that occur on the farm – has been on the agenda of leading dairy companies for many years.

GHG emissions up 1.7%

As farmers and tractors took to New Zealand’s motorways, towns and cities to protest the pricing of agricultural emissions, Stats NZ released the country’s quarterly greenhouse gas emissions figures.

Featured

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

The show is on!

It was bringing in a new Canterbury A&P Association (CAPA) show board, more in tune with the CAPA general committee, that has ensured that Christchurch will have a show this year, says CAPA general committee president Bryce Murray.

National

Food charity to hold online auction

Meat the Need, New Zealand’s dedicated charity delivering locally sourced protein meals to food-insecure communities, is launching an online National…

Machinery & Products

An ideal solution for larger farms

Designed specifically for large farms that want to drill with maximum flexibility, efficiency and power, the new Lemken Solitair ST…

Landpower increases its offering

Landpower and the Claas Harvest Centre network will launch the Claas Scorpion and Torion material handling solutions to the market…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Leaky waka

OPINION: Was the ASB Economic Weekly throwing shade on Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr when reporting on his speech in…

Know-it-alls

OPINION: A reader recently had a shot at the various armchair critics that she judged to be more than a…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter