Bovaer 10: The Controversial Feed Additive Dividing Australian Beef Producers

As governments and industry pursue lower-emission beef, critics warn that experimental feed additives are being rushed into the food chain with too many unanswered questions.

Bovaer 10 is a relatively new feed additive that’s been getting quite a lot of attention lately. It was developed by Dutch company DSM-Firmenich, and works by blocking specific enzymes in a cow’s rumen, which then cuts down on the methane those gut microbes produce during digestion.

It’s mainly aimed at cattle in intensive feedlots that are often fed heavy grain diets.