US start-up Hoofprint Biome, Inc. develops enzymes that improve cattle digestion to reduce methane emissions and increase milk and meat production.
The firm recently closed a $15m Series A funding round led by SOSV’s Ireland Biomanufacturing Fund, with participation from SOSV Fund V, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, and Alexandria Venture Investments.
Now, the company is looking to partner with beef and dairy farmers willing to trial its first product – a natural feed additive that uses enzyme proteins to supress enteric fermentation while redirecting energy towards milk and meat production.
Unlike synthetic alternatives such as Bovaer, Hoofprint Biome‘s solution ‘uses enzymes that evolved naturally to prevent methane production in the rumen,’ said CEO Kathryn Polkoff, who holds a PhD in Veterinary Biomedical and Clinical Studies.
Yeast is used to ferment the enzymes, and the final product is a natural, protein-based solution, we were told. The production method is low-cost and scalable, meaning it has potential for industry-wide adoption if found to be effective.
“Hoofprint’s enzyme works by shaping the rumen microbiome in a way that prevents methane emissions and boosts productivity,” Polkoff explained. “The enzymes are naturally compatible with the rumen and pose no safety risk. Our approach is designed to support a healthy microbial balance.”
“Unlike chemical additives, we use nature’s own tools - enzyme proteins - as effectors.”
Kathryn Polkoff, PhD
The feed additive works well in systems where cattle are fed or supplemented regularly, she added.
“Animals would only need to be fed one mouthful per day, making it easy to use with in-shed or pasture-based supplementary feeding systems.”
Methane's impact
Enteric methane emissions from ruminants and manure management practices account for over 32% of global anthropogenic methane emissions, according to FAO.
Relative to other global greenhouse gas abatement opportunities, reducing enteric methane through productivity gains is the lowest cost options and has a direct economic benefit to farmers.
While methane is a short-lived pollutant, it traps 84 times more heat than CO2 over the first two decades after it is released into the air.
Over a 100-year period, the comparative warming effect of 1 kg methane is 28 times greater that of the same amount of CO2.
This means that reducing the rate of methane emissions from livestock can help reduce the rate of climate change and even limit peak warming if the emissions reductions are sustained.
As for the feed additive‘s efficacy, upcoming trials will determine how well the product reduces enteric methane and what productivity gains can be achieved. In particular, the trials will evaluate how variations in diet, intake and management practices impact the scale of these productivity gains.
“While rumen microbes enable digestion of tough, fibrous plants, the rumen microbiome is far from optimally efficient,” Polkoff explained. “Methane production alone wastes up to 12% of feed energy.
“Our enzymes redirect energy from microbial fermentation to eliminate methane, and also optimize the energy that goes into the cow for milk and meat production.”
The expectation is for the product to deliver ‘consistent results’: “We‘ve invested heavily in making sure the product will perform well across both beef and dairy systems,” said Polkoff.
“Even without intervention, methane emissions vary widely by production system – diet and intake being one of the biggest drivers. We expect our product to deliver consistent results across that variability, and upcoming trials will help quantify the impact in different settings.”
To move forward, the start-up is looking to roll out the product ‘wherever we receive the most partnership and support’. “Industry partnerships are a key focus for us, as these will be essential to accelerating the product to market,” Polkoff said.
“It’s no small ask to generate a product that mitigates methane from every cow and every production system in the world – [but we are] uniquely suited to tackle this challenge by marrying biotechnology, data-driven product optimization, and animal science.”