Exploring organic or natural feed additives has recently gained more attention. One category of these recommended feed additives is phytogenic feed additives, which are rich in secondary metabolites.

A study, published in the journal Animals, by the researchers of North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University reveals that onion peel, a by-product of the onion processing industry, is showing promise as a natural feed additive and the potential to reduce methane emissions. 

Onion peel, often discarded as agricultural byproducts, has garnered increasing attention as a potential feed additive. Additionally, onion peel is a sustainable, cost-effective feed ingredient, as it is widely available and typically underutilized. It is estimated that about 20–30% of the total weight of onions consists of outer skins, which translates to a significant volume of onion peel that could be repurposed for livestock feed. In the United States, approximately 3 million tons of onions are produced annually, leading to a substantial amount of onion peel waste.

The study evaluated different inclusion levels of onion peel at 2.5% (OP2.5), 5% (OP5), 7.5% (OP7.5), and 10% (OP10) on the in vitro fermentation of 2 diets: a total mixed ration referred to as high concentrate (HC), and corn silage referred to as high forage (HF).

In addition, total gas production, methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂), ammonia (NH₃), and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) concentrations, as well as nutrient degradability, were assessed.

The HC diet produced more gas but less CH₄, CO₂, NH₃, and H₂S compared to the HF diet. The onion peel at all levels increased CH₄, CO₂, NH₃, and H₂S concentrations in the HF diet.

The OP2.5 treatment had the lowest degradable dry matter in the HC diet, while the onion peel linearly increased degradable acid detergent fibre (ADF) in both diets.

The lowest total volatile fatty acids (VFA) and acetate were observed with the OP5 treatment in the HC diet, while OP5, OP7.5, and OP10 had lower total volatile fatty acids concentration in the HC diet.

The OP7.5 treatment increased gas production and CH₄ and CO₂ production in the HC diet. However, the OP5 treatment had the lowest CH₄ production in the HF diet. Incorporating 5% of onion peel in the HF diet is recommended as the optimal inclusion level to decrease ruminal methane production and improve nutrient degradability.

The study concluded that onion peel supplementation is more suitable for HF diets than HC diets. The results suggest that the adding onion peel indicates a promising strategy for improving ruminal fermentation efficiency, and reducing CH4 production in HF diets compared to HC diets.

The recommended levels of onion peel are not very clear; however, onion peel at 5–10% to the HF diet enhanced nutrient degradability and reduced CH₄ production, and increased total volatile fatty acids, acetate, and propionate. Although this figure is not given in the conclusion, in the summary of the study the authors claim that incorporating 5% of OP in the forage-based diet is recommended as the optimal inclusion level to decrease ruminal methane production and improve nutrient degradability.

The authors emphasise that additional in vitro and in vivo studies are needed to clarify the underlying mechanisms of action, evaluate the long-term effects of onion peel on animal performance and environmental sustainability, and address potential challenges in translating these findings into practical feeding strategies.

Foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks recorded in 2025 in a number of European countries are associated with the genetic lines of the virus that previously circulated in Turkey and Pakistan. This was announced by representatives of the European Commission at a webinar with the participation of experts from the Rosselkhoznadzor and the Federal State Budgetary Institution VNIIZH.

According to information provided by European experts, the virus detected in Germany belongs to the O/ME-SA/SA-2018 lineage, which was previously widespread in Turkey. Isolates from Slovakia and Hungary belong to the O/ME-SA/Panasia2/ANT-10 subline, which circulated in Pakistan in 2017-2018. This indicates various channels for the introduction of the disease into the territory of the EU.

At the webinar, the countries with reported outbreaks – Germany, Hungary and Slovakia – presented reviews of the current epizootic situation. Germany has mostly regained its FMD-free status, with the exception of the restricted area near Berlin. In Slovakia and Hungary, standard measures have been applied: surveillance zones have been established, emergency vaccination of susceptible animals in foci, subsequent slaughter and restrictions on the movement of live livestock.

Additionally, the EU has decided to expand the restriction zones beyond the standard 3 and 10 km. The new zone will cover all ten identified foci and will be classified as a containment zone in accordance with Chapter 8.8 of the World Organization for Animal Health (WHOH) Terrestrial Animal Health Code.

Milk fever, or hypocalcaemia, in lactating cows has a significant economic impact on the dairy industry, with losses amounting to thousands of dollars per farm annually.

Farmers find it challenging to identify asymptomatic subclinical hypocalcaemia (SCH) in transition dairy cows, although monitoring SCH in milk samples can expedite treatment and improve the health, productivity and welfare of dairy cows.

SCH occurs when calcium levels in the blood fall below normal, and it can affect nearly half of mature dairy cows and a quarter of first-time calvers. The condition compromises muscle and nerve function, leading to reduce feed intake, lower milk production and increased susceptibility to other diseases.

Current diagnostic tools rely on blood sampling and lab-based analysis, which are costly, time-intensive and impractical for routine farm use. Researchers at the School of Animal Sciences at Virginia Tech in the US wanted to develop an attomolar-sensitive sensor using extrusion 3D-printed sensing structures to detect the ratio of ionised calcium to phosphate levels in milk samples.

The 3D-printed sensor features intricate microstructures and a unique wrinkled surface creating using a solid-contact ion-to-electron transducer. These design elements enhance the surface area, enabling rapid and highly accurate detection of milk ions.

The diagnostic device can identify SCH in as little as 10 seconds with attomolar-sensitivity and, unlike bulky and expensive lab equipment, the sensor produced at Virginia Tech, with a solid-state feature, is portable and can be integrated with milking machines or farm pipelines. Farmers can now test milk samples on-site, eliminating the need for invasive blood tests or transporting samples to labs.

Lead researcher at Virginia Tech, assistant professor Azahar Ali, said the innovation bridges a long-standing gap in dairy diagnostics.

“Farmers have traditionally relied on either expensive commercial analysers or subjective assessments based on visible symptoms like weakness or difficulty standing. Neither approach is sufficient for detecting SCH early enough to prevents its cascade of complications. Our 3D-printed sensor not only makes early detection feasible, but also democratises access to advanced diagnostics,” said Ali.

Hilda is the first to be born in the Langhill cow herd. Located in southern Scotland, the cow has been born through IVF and specifically bred to produce less methane.

Three technologies have been used to create Hilda, including systems that can predict an individual cow’s methane production based on DNA. Eggs were also extracted for fertilisation at a younger age with semen pre-sorted for sex.

“You mix those three [technologies] together, and that enables you to accelerate female selection for reduced methane, one calf at a time,” said Mike Coffey at Scotland’s sustainability-focused Rural College, who explained repeating this process would eventually lead to a low methane herd. The ultimate goal is to create a stock that significantly reduces methane emissions.

Traditional selection of cows for dairy and meat based on these traits has brought emissions down by around 1% annually. It is believed that by adopting this tech-enabled approach the methane output of a herd would plummet by 30% over the next two decades.

The economic feasibility of such innovations remains a challenge. Today, the cost of producing Hilda is around double the economic value of the animal itself. This means government intervention could be needed to make the approach cost effective, in the same way EVs have become established through policy levers. This comes at a time when several countries are competing to cut methane emissions from livestock.

The efforts unfolding in Scotland reflect the global drive to rapidly reduce methane emissions. These technology-driven solutions could shape the future of sustainable agricultural practices worldwide.

A common disease affecting between 5% and 60% of dairy cattle in the UK, cystic ovarian disease negatively impacts cow productivity, with effects on both farm efficiency and profitability.

The disease leads to a prolonged interval between calving and conception, resulting in decreased milk production and increased culling rates. These factors collectively affect the economic sustainability of dairy farms, emphasizing the need for effective management and treatment strategies.

Veterinarians and farmers are urged to collaborate closely to mitigate the impacts of this disease through regular health monitoring and appropriate medical interventions. Cystic ovarian disease remains a critical concern for the dairy industry, demanding continued research and attention to ensure the welfare of cattle and the viability of dairy operations.

The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak in Germany is still confined to just one case. The virus reappeared in the country after nearly 40 years, when in early January 2025, 3 dead water buffalo tested positive on a farm 20 kilometres from Berlin (in Hoppegarten, Brandenburg). As a precaution, all other 11 water buffalo on the organic farm were culled, as well as animals on farms within a 1 km radius, which included 170 pigs. A week later there was panic that the virus may have emerged at a 2nd location in a nearby goat farm, but tests revealed that samples tested negative for FMD virus.

In the Barnim district, about 15 km from the location of the outbreak, goats on a hobby farm had been found with blisters in their mouths. Those animals were culled on Wednesday. The German reference lab, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, reported on Friday morning that the animals did not carry the virus nor had antibodies against FMD virus.

Cem Özdemir, Germany’s federal minister of agriculture, was quoted to be upbeat about the fact that no further spread was demonstrated, but emphasised to continue being vigilant. He told the radio station Deutschlandfunk: “Germany isn’t free of FMD.” However, there is nothing to prevent milk and meat products from being sold outside of the restricted zones, he emphasised.

The country was seeking crisis aid for farmers from the EU and was also in talks with its finance ministry, he said.

Pig prices in the country have stabilised as fears subsided that foot-and-mouth disease would spread, while the EU has indicated that German meat and dairy product sales outside the region containing the case could continue.

Some emergency measures to restrict spread of the highly infectious disease, which poses no danger to humans, were lifted but quarantine zones remain in force.

Measures to contain the disease often involve bans on imports of meat and dairy products from affected countries. The UK, South Korea and Mexico imposed import bans on Germany, with the British decision causing pain to Germany’s livestock sector.

German animal disease research institute Friedrich Loeffler has said th

A sugar solution already used in some medical applications could reduce the use — and cost — of antibiotics when treating a common uterine infection in dairy cows, according to new research from The Pennsylvania State University. In the study, researchers treated cows with clinical metritis using either the antibiotic ceftiofur, or by draining the infected uterine fluid and then flushing with a sugar solution called dextrose. Both treatments appeared to be equally effective in treating the infection, though the antibiotics appeared to outperform the dextrose in cows with the most serious infections, according to Adrian Barragan, an associate research professor at Penn State.

Over the course of the trial, Barragan estimated that the average cost of the dextrose treatment ran about US$60 per cow, compared with US$340 for the antibiotic treatment. Dextrose solution, a form of glucose, is a commercially available product that is already used to treat conditions such as ketosis and downer cow syndrome, Barragan said. But researchers have suspected that it could have other applications for some time. Trial results, however, have been mixed.

In a 2016 study conducted by Barragan as part of his master’s thesis, dextrose proved promising in treating milder, sub-clinical forms of metritis. Cows with infections this mild typically recover on their own, Barragan said. So in a follow-up study, Barragan’s team attempted to use dextrose as a preventative treatment in cows at risk of developing metritis. Here, administering dextrose actually increased the odds that a cow would ultimately develop the infection, Barragan said. In cows that have yet to develop an infection, flushing the uterus with dextrose might effectively feed the bacteria that are present, Barragan said. This could occur because the healthy fluids present in the uterus prevent the dextrose from reaching concentrations needed to kill bacteria by dehydration — as seen in the most recent study where dextrose proved effective against active, clinical-level infections.

Dextrose might also aid in the treatment of other kinds of infections, such as mastitis, and this warrants further study, Barragan said. And Barragan noted that even though the results of the recent Penn State trial were unexpectedly promising, they also don’t suggest that producers could dispense with antibiotic treatments in all cases. The study’s sample size was relatively small, he said, and while the cows with more moderate symptoms made a full recovery, those with the most severe symptoms showed signs of decreased productivity when treated with dextrose alone.

Some researchers are focusing on the development of vaccines to reduce methane emissions from cows.

New Scientist reports that the startup Arkebio presented its vaccine, which is in development, to the American Society of Animal Science. The prototype vaccine works by stimulating the cow’s immune system to produce antibodies in the saliva that target the methane-producing microbes in the rumen.

Cows given the prototype vaccine produced 12.9% less methane over a period of 105 days. There were no adverse side effects or disruption of growth rate.

The trial included 10 cows, 5 of which received the vaccination in the neck, with a booster vaccination given after 56 days. The other 5 cows formed the control group. A second test with 14 cows started in June this year and is still ongoing. The first results indicate a methane reduction of at least 13% per cow.

A second group investigating the feasibility of a vaccine against methane is a collaboration in England led by The Pirbright Institute. Researchers control how methane-forming microbes populate the gastrointestinal tract of calves and how the immune system responds to them. Yet others are investigating whether they can tackle the methane-forming microbes with specific antibodies, which could result in a vaccine. The scientists involved expect that an effective vaccine will reduce methane production by more than 30%.

Two micro-organisms – a bacterium and an algae – can be used together to convert carbon dioxide and methane into a protein-rich biomass. The discovery has prompted the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPIs) to support Upflow and partners to progress the research.

The funding of nearly $5 million for the 4-year project will be the first in the world to pioneer biomass feedstock production from gases and robust microorganisms that thrive in the extreme conditions found at geothermal sites.

The biomass is created when microorganisms feed off greenhouse gas emissions captured from geothermal power stations, such as those used to generate electricity in the central North Island. The biomass produced is made up of several potentially commercial valuable components, including protein for animal feed.

Early-stage research looks promising. Industrial biotechnology processes developed by University of Canterbury researchers uses a methane-eating bacterium and a carbon dioxide-eating microalgae to capture the gases and use them as a food source for growth. The novel process generates a biomass rich in protein. It is being explored as an animal feed ingredient, use for human nutrition, or to produced high-value nutraceuticals or pigments.

Steve Penno, MPIs director of investment programmes, said it was an exciting project to support: “If successful, this could be the start of a new biomass feedstock manufacturing industry for New Zealand, worth an estimated $500 million per annum by 2045, creating new skilled jobs. “It would reduce our reliance on imported livestock feed, and decarbonise these industries, while also reducing the cost of carbon emissions for geothermal companies that adopt the system.”

Researchers at University of California, Davis, added fresh grape pomace left over from winemaking operations to alfalfa-based feed for dairy cows and found that methane emissions were reduced by 10% to 11%. The preliminary findings could offer a low-cost sustainable pathway for vineyards to reduce waste while helping dairy operations maintain quality while cutting back on emissions of methane, which is a powerful greenhouse gas.

“We found that the feed with the additive of grape pomace changed the fatty acid composition of the milk and, in particular, increased the polyunsaturated fats, which are the main fats in grape pomace,” said Selina Wang, head of research. “This suggests that supplementing the feed with an optimal fatty acid profile may have positive impact on the fatty acid profile of the milk and increase their health benefits.”

Wine grapes are high in fats and tannin, which is known to reduce methane emissions, so the research sought to test if adding grape pomace to feed could have a positive effect while not adversely affecting production. “It’s a byproduct that’s not being used much,” he said. “This is something that can be included in our efforts to try to reduce emissions.”

To do the research, scientists worked with Holstein dairy cows and gave the animals feed consisting of alfalfa, wheat, almond hulls, cottonseed and grain. After two weeks, the cows were split into three groups: A control group with no change in diet, another where the feed combination included 10% grape pomace and a third that received 15% grape pomace. Every four weeks, the cow groups would change feed combinations.

They were fed twice daily by postdoctoral students and interns, and emissions were monitored daily. Milk production was documented in the morning and evening and milk samples were collected weekly to analyze for fat, protein, lactose and other measurements, which showed no differences between the control and other groups.

Methane and hydrogen emissions were reduced compared with the control group, suggesting that grape pomace reduced enteric emissions without affecting production.