Hoofprint Biome: Improve Cow Nutrition & Reduce Methane

A Fresh Approach to Reducing Methane Emissions from Cattle

Resolving long-held challenges often necessitates a shift in viewpoint.

The issue of methane produced by cows has been a focus for years, with efforts aimed at eliminating the gas released through burping to lessen the environmental impact of livestock. However, these attempts have yielded limited results.

This lack of progress is partly attributable to approaching the problem from a purely climate science perspective, rather than considering the practical realities faced by farmers.

Understanding the Problem from a Farmer's Perspective

Kathryn Polkoff, the co-founder and CEO of Hoofprint Biome, emphasizes the importance of a farmer-centric approach.

Polkoff, holding a PhD in animal science, explained to TechCrunch that her initial exposure to the methane issue came during animal science coursework. It was framed not as a climate concern, but as a matter of animal health and productivity.

Hoofprint Biome's Innovative Solution

Polkoff and her co-founder, Scott Collins, have developed a unique method for altering a cow’s microbiome using enzymes.

This process significantly reduces methane production while simultaneously increasing the availability of nutrients for the animal.

This breakthrough has secured Hoofprint Biome a $15 million Series A funding round, led by SOSV, as exclusively reported to TechCrunch.

Additional investors include AgriZeroNZ, Alexandria Venture Investments, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, Good Growth Capital, Ponderosa Ventures, and Twynam. The funding will facilitate on-farm trials of the enzyme technology.

The Power of Microbiome Modification

“Throughout history, animal breeding has focused on efficiency and yield,” Polkoff stated. “However, there have been relatively few attempts to modify the microbiome.”

She draws an analogy to engineering a car without ever improving the engine – the source of all energy.

Hoofprint’s feed additive modifies the microbiome within a cow’s rumen, suppressing the growth of microbes responsible for generating methane.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, warming the planet 84 times more effectively than an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide.

How the Rumen Works

The rumen functions as a complex “hodgepodge assembly line,” according to Po Bronson, a general partner at SOSV who led the firm’s investment in Hoofprint.

Cows consume forage that is inherently difficult to digest and extract nutrients from.

Over time, cows have evolved a complex microbiome within the rumen to aid in breaking down this forage, releasing essential nutrients.

The cow absorbs a portion of these nutrients, but another group of microbes consumes some, hindering the cow’s nutrient uptake and producing methane as a byproduct.

“A specific subset of microbes is responsible for methane production,” Polkoff clarified.

Enzyme Production and Safety

Hoofprint’s enzyme works by suppressing these methane-producing microbes.

The startup will utilize yeast to produce the enzymes, mirroring the production process for other industrial enzymes used in products like cheese and detergent.

Bronson believes Hoofprint’s enzyme, being derived from the rumen itself, will avoid the negative reception faced by a previous methane-reducing product, Bovaer, which encountered disinformation during trials in the U.K.

“Their product is a natural protein that degrades like any other protein an animal consumes, making it inherently compatible with the rumen environment.”