Nutreco secures OPZuid funding for Dutch dairy nitrogen emissions reduction project

NETHERLANDS – Nutreco has secured funding from the OPZuid program to support a four-year project aimed at reducing nitrogen emissions in Dutch dairy farming. 

The project, which involves a collaboration between Trouw Nutrition and consultancy Nutrivice, will focus on developing innovative dietary strategies to improve nitrogen efficiency and sustainability in the sector. 

The Netherlands, one of the most nitrogen-dense regions globally, faces a critical challenge, with 45% of nitrogen emissions originating from agriculture. 

Noord-Brabant, a province with the highest livestock density in the country, has been identified as a key area for intervention.

Javier Martín-Tereso, PhD, Manager Ruminant Research at Trouw Nutrition, stated, “The Dutch grant from OPZuid makes it possible to develop on-farm solutions that work in the most environmentally demanding dairy reality, the Netherlands, which in turn makes us already ready for the future in the rest of the world.” 

Nutreco’s Trouw Nutrition division will contribute its expertise in nitrogen efficiency, a critical field for sustainable dairy and beef production globally. 

Nutrivice, a key partner in the project, will act as the link between research and dairy farmers, ensuring that the findings are practically implemented on farms.

The project aims to create a “nutrition toolbox” that can reduce nitrogen emissions by 10% to 20% compared to current feeding practices. 

The nutritional strategies will focus on improving the conversion of dietary protein into milk, which will help reduce nitrogen excretion without compromising milk production. 

According to the partners, optimizing feed efficiency will allow farmers to sustain or even increase milk output without expanding herd sizes, leading to more efficient use of land and resources.

Peter van Dooren, managing consultant and founder of Nutrivice, explained, “Through directly involving dairy farmers in this project we tackle the most prominent risks and generate not only growing profitability and reduced costs for commercial dairies.”

“It  also a positive impact on the environment. Working with farmers in this project is the key in creating acceptance of innovative dietary strategies.”

The core element of the project is to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical application. 

The partners will conduct trials on commercial dairy farms, generating real-world data to validate the proposed nutritional strategies. 

By focusing on the Netherlands initially, the project is expected to generate valuable insights that can be adapted for use in other major dairy and beef-producing countries. 

The consortium will also collaborate with leading academic institutions, including Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, the University of California Davis, and the Federal University of Lavras in Brazil, to further develop the global impact of the project.