Danone partners Ajinomoto to reduce feed-related emissions through lysine supplement

UK – Global dairy leader Danone has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with biotech multinational Ajinomoto Co., Inc. to reduce feed-related emissions. 

The partnership focuses on incorporating Ajinomoto’s rumen-protected lysine supplement, AjiPro-L, into Danone’s dairy farms across four continents. 

This collaboration represents a significant step towards achieving Danone’s sustainability goals while simultaneously supporting milk production.

AjiPro-L, introduced by Ajinomoto in 2011, has shown an 80% efficacy in ensuring lysine, a crucial amino acid for lactating dairy cows, passes through the rumen and is absorbed in the small intestine. 

This absorption supports higher milk production and plays a pivotal role in reducing emissions linked to feed procurement, particularly soybean meal, by around 20%. 

Soybean meal is a primary source of lysine in animal feed, and its procurement is associated with a high carbon footprint—especially in regions like Brazil, where soy production is linked to deforestation—this supplement offers a more sustainable alternative.

While soy and palm make up a small percentage (around 5%) of Danone’s animal feed mix, the global use of soy in feed (75% of soy produced) means that efforts to reduce its environmental impact are critical. 

The lysine supplement addresses these concerns by allowing Danone to decrease its reliance on soybean meal and its associated emissions.

Jean-Yves Krummenacher, Danone’s Chief Procurement Officer, emphasised the partnership’s dual benefits: “With partners like Ajinomoto Co., we are expanding our toolkit of solutions that have a dual effect—reducing on-farm GHG emissions while supporting farmers to improve their margin and, as a result, boost their resilience.”

Beyond feed procurement-related emissions, the AjiPro-L supplement has the added benefit of reducing nitrous oxide emissions from manure by around 25%. 

It can also enhance the effectiveness of methane-reducing additives by 30% when used in an amino acid-balanced feed. 

This aligns with Danone’s broader goal of cutting methane emissions from fresh milk by 30%.

Plans are already in motion to introduce the feed additive to Danone’s contracted farmers in key regions such as Spain, Brazil, and the U.S., as well as the company’s farms in Egypt and Morocco. 

Ajinomoto will also partner with Danone to develop tools that help quantify the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the use of AjiPro-L.

This partnership marks a critical development in Danone’s efforts to innovate sustainable farming practices, addressing both environmental and economic challenges in dairy farming. 

By leveraging Ajinomoto’s cutting-edge lysine supplement, Danone aims to meet its emission reduction targets while continuing to support farmers in improving their productivity and resilience.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.