Denmark's Food Minister Jacob Jensen confirmed his department is closely watching reports of cattle distress linked to the feed additive Bovaer. Farmers have reported concerning behavior in dairy cows since the mandatory climate measure was introduced in October.
The minister said he takes the reports seriously. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is actively investigating the situation.
Some farmers currently report challenges using Bovaer. I take this very seriously, Jensen said in a written statement. The authorities are monitoring the situation closely.
Bovaer is a legally required climate intervention that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from cow digestion. Since farmers began mixing the additive into cattle feed, the Danish Dairy Producers Association has received deeply worried calls from members.
Farmers call us crying on the phone, said association chairman Kjartan Poulsen. Their cows are clearly unwell. The animals refuse to enter milking robots, need to be pushed around, eat less and chew less. In some cases, they simply collapse and cannot stand up.
The reports prompted the Alternative political party to summon Minister Jensen for consultation.
The minister emphasized the investigation remains in early stages. At this point, it is too early to determine any connection between Bovaer feeding and the observed challenges, Jensen stated.
The Food Ministry confirmed authorities are collecting data in collaboration with Aarhus University. Officials stress that the described problems have not been observed before.
Previous longer-term testing of Bovaer in practice showed no problems of the kind now being reported, the ministry noted. The Food Administration continues to monitor the situation.
The mandatory nature of this climate measure puts farmers in a difficult position - they must comply with environmental regulations while potentially facing animal welfare issues. This situation highlights the challenging balance between climate goals and practical farming realities.