Yeast probiotic offers sustainable dairy production benefits

Global food demand is set to double by 2050 in line with UN estimates that the world population will increase from today’s 7.6 billion to reach 9.8 billion over the next 26 years. To keep pace with such growth, agricultural systems throughout the world will need to provide extra food to feed the rising number of people.

While this is a daunting prospect, such enormous growth will also provide opportunities and challenge for the dairy sector as we seek to keep providing the global population with food that is healthy, nutritious, and sustainably produced.

More than 80% of today’s global consumers, about 6 billion people, regularly drink milk and/or buy other dairy products.

Agro-industry players and dairy farmers therefore face the increasing challenge of how to produce more milk with less resources, improve product quality, while also reducing cost of production. This is despite a background of continuous feed cost inflation and resource scarcity.

For more than 30 years, Actisaf®Sc 47 has been used in dairy cows to address many such issues. These include helping to improve animal wellbeing, fertility, and performance, all by enhancing rumen health and fibre digestibility to secure higher milk yields and milk solids, while also ensuring cows have improved metabolic balance and are protected against acidosis.

Findings from a study of the value chain of liquid milk in the United States, conducted by Nutter et al. (2013), shows that about 72% of GHG emissions occur before milk leaves the farm, with feed production accounting for a significant proportion of these emissions. The same study also estimated that emissions associated with milk production range between 0.8 and 1.2 kg of CO2-eq per kg of milk, with feed production accounting for 20% of emissions.

The task of assessing other environmental burdens linked to feed production, such as feed ingredient cultivation, processing, transportation, and utilisation, has been helped by the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This is a scientific approach that evaluates the environmental impact of a product throughout its life cycle, spanning from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal.

Improving our understanding of the environmental impact of feed additives is a fundamental part of Phileo by Lesaffre’s research and development activities, both for self-improvement and to help inspire positive change across the industry.

To evaluate the environmental impact and performance of Actisaf®, it was necessary to perform a full LCA relating to the product, running from cradle (to assess the impact of production) to farm gate (to assess end usage). We began by examining the impact of producing 1kg of Actisaf®, an assessment carried out with the help of external consultant, EVEA.

We then embarked on an Actisaf® LCA study, conducted in collaboration with international LCA specialists, Blonk Consultants. This part of the programme was run according to Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCRs), as approved by the European Commission for dairy and animal feed production, and the FAO’s LEAP guidelines (Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance Partership) for feed additives (2019).

As required by ISO14040 and ISO14044, the LCA study included four phases: goal and scope definition, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. The LCA was also critically reviewed by three experts, again in line with ISO14040 and 14044.

The final report secured ISO14040/44 compliance, ensuring the transparency and accuracy of the study’s f indings. This provided comprehensive information on the environmental impact of using Actisaf® in dairy farming, showing that supplementing cow diets with Actisaf® can reduce the carbon footprint of milk production by up to 5%, while also improving cow health and productivity. The study also drew on zootechnical trials carried out by renowned institutions in different regions of Europe.

This peer-reviewed study provides scientific data and a robust analysis of the environmental benefits of using Actisaf® in dairy farming, demonstrating the potential to help reduce the carbon footprint of milk production and to improve the sustainability of dairy farming.

The primary data gathered for this study was drawn from zootechnical trials carried out by renowned institutions in different regions of Europe, featuring areas which are responsible for 50% of the EU’s milk output. Different dairy cow diets were covered by the data, ranging from high to medium production herds and from transition to mid-lactation cows. The studies provided the relevant data required for an LCA on dairy production based on a one-year study including lactation cycle + dry period.

One of our main conclusions is that when a farmer supplements a cow from transition to mid-lactation with the yeast probiotic Actisaf®, he/she could expect to reduce the carbon footprint of 1kg of FPCM milk by up to 5%, alongside additional reductions across several environmental impact categories.

LCA studies offer brand new added value for industry players and customers. They show the potential for using feed additives within an increasingly sustainable agro industry, helping to support the transition of the dairy industry towards greater sustainability in relation to social, environmental, and economic dimensions to the benefit of the all-important 3Ps (people, profit, and planet).

• People: Food security by increasing milk yield & milk quality, source of animal protein

• Profit: For farmers with a ROI 7:1 secured by supplementing with Actisaf®

• Planet: A positive impact reducing up to 5% CO2/kg of FPCM.