REMEDY (BO-27.04-002-101)

Global dairy production is expected to rise as a consequence of increasing demand from a growing population with increasing purchasing power. The dairy sector in the Netherlands is expected to raise its share in global production. Methane emissions from dairy cattle will be an increasing contribution to climate change due to expected growth in global milk production.

This proposal for a Reduced Methane Emission Dairy stable (REMEDY) aims to design a closed dairy stable that is able to reduce the methane emission from dairy cattle into the atmosphere. This innovative dairy stable will increase productivity and reduce future costs that will result out of policy measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Moreover the REMEDY project will deliver a stable design that will enable dairy farming with high productive milking cows in climate zones that because of high temperature and humidity were not suitable for dairy production so far. This design will be the basis for knowledge export and valuation by Dutch knowledge institutes, enterprises in the dairy chain and governmental organisations that are in the process of building an Innovation Community of Practice. Aim of this CoP is to commercialize the knowledge and innovation practice of low methane emission dairy production worldwide.

This proposal for a seed money project aims to deliver a design for a prototype of a Reduced Methane Emission Dairy stable with which experiments can be started in the Netherlands and in Mexico.