28 million project to reduce Methane and boost milk yield
Industrial biotech company GreenCow Biosolutions located in Odense has launched a Grand Solutions project in partnership with three Danish research institutions: the Danish Technological Institute, the University of Copenhagen, and Aarhus University.
This project involves 3.5 years of research and development with a budget of 28 million Danish kroner, supported by the Innovation Fund.
Can be the first to come up with such a solution
In collaboration with technology and development partners, GreenCow Biosolutions is on a mission to reduce ruminants’ methane emission and enhance milk yield in dairy production.
“It is a high-risk project in the sense that many things can go wrong. However, it is also a high-impact project, so if we succeed, it will have a massive effect on Danish agriculture and globally.”
The objective is clear: Less methane – more milk yield. Adding a natural microbiological culture to cow feed makes it possible to convert the methane produced by cows into protein. This not only reduces methane emissions but also increases milk yield.
The enormous amounts of methane have noticeable consequences for the climate, as methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes four times more to global warming than CO2.
According to the UN’s climate panel, methane has increased global temperatures by 0.5 degrees. However, the gas has a relatively short lifespan in the atmosphere. By reducing emissions, global temperature increases can also be minimized.
In Denmark, a CO2 tax on the agricultural sector’s biological processes was introduced in 2024, which can increase the incentive to explore CO2-reducing solutions.
The Odense-based company GreenCow Biosolutions aims to help with this. Over the next 3.5 years, a large research project, ‘MethaCow’, will develop a new type of feed for dairy cows, reducing methane emissions and increasing the cows’ milk yield.
This feed additive stands out from current market solutions by allowing the cow’s rumen system to function independently of the added microculture. It is functionally similar to humans consuming yogurt with probiotics, which improve gut flora and enhance digestion.
The next step for GreenCow Biosolutions will be to explore the market for potential partners and commercialization opportunities, aiming to launch a revolutionary new feed additive in Denmark and globally by 2027.
“Everything is perfectly planned. We have specialists for each stage over the next 3.5 years. Some will handle the microbiological aspects, while others will focus on how to treat the bacteria and their behavior in the cow’s rumen. The most important thing will be to collaborate across disciplines and maintain a commercial focus,”
GreenCow Biosolutions was founded by Ebbe Busch, who previously founded the biotech company Unibio and had a long career at DLG. Ebbe passed away shortly after securing the project funds, but the company continues the project.
Further information
Further information
Lone Krogsbøll
Investment Manager - Biotech & Life Science
I help foreign companies in the biotech and life science industry to establish in Odense and connect them to relevant business partners and opportunities here. My background is in health tech, but I’ve focused on broader life science sectors since 2018.