In a context where the dairy sector is facing mounting environmental and economic pressures, every optimisation lever matters. Among these, lowering the protein content in dairy cow diets stands out as a promising strategic pathway. But how can we reduce protein levels while still maintaining, at the very least, optimal zootechnical performance?
A major challenge: balancing productivity and sustainability
The European dairy industry is at a crossroads. Faced with increasing regulatory pressure (the Farm to Fork strategy, CAP eco-schemes, “carbon farming” initiatives, nitrate directives…), farmers are being called upon to produce more efficiently with less — fewer inputs, fewer emissions, less strain on natural resources — all while safeguarding the profitability of their farms.
Precision feeding is becoming an essential tool for reducing nitrogen losses and lowering the carbon footprint. And that begins with rethinking the role of protein in the ration.
Why reduce protein in dairy production?
Lowering dietary protein has multiple benefits:
- Reduced nitrogen losses in urine and manure
- Lower greenhouse gas emissions
- Reduced feed costs, particularly by limiting reliance on soybean meal
Soybean meal, largely imported and a major source of CO₂ emissions (up to 8 kg CO₂ equivalent per kg when land-use change is factored in), weighs heavily on the farm’s carbon balance. However, any reduction must be carefully managed — the nutritional balance of the animals and their performance must be preserved.
A natural alternative: stimulating microbial protein
Did you know that most of the protein actually available to the cow comes from microbial synthesis in the rumen? Optimizing this process offers significant potential. This is precisely where plant extracts come in — helping to modulate rumen microbiota activity in a favorable way.
The result: improved utilization of ingested nitrogen and a marked increase in metabolizable protein, i.e. protein truly available for the animal.
Field-proven results confirmed by life cycle assessment
Trials conducted in both the United States and Europe have shown that a lower-protein diet supplemented with a synergistic blend of plant extracts (essential oils and spices) can:
- Maintain milk yield
- Reduce nitrogen excretion
- Improve feed efficiency
A life cycle assessment also quantified the environmental gain: up to –7.9% greenhouse gas emissions for the ration enriched with plant extracts. At the scale of a 100-cow herd, this equates to over 54 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent avoided annually, roughly the same as more than 30 round trips from Paris to New York.
A Win–Win approach
With just a few grams of a blend based on plant extracts, farmers can feasibly reduce crude protein levels in the diet by one percentage point while safeguarding performance. Savings, sustainability, and rumen balance — all indicators are pointing in the right direction.
We believe in the power of plants to meet tomorrow’s challenges. What if you too could access even more sustainable nutrition?
You might also like: Our article on the use of spices in animal nutrition.
