What is the Mootral Project?
Mootral believes that embedding health benefits and productivity gains into climate change mitigation solutions is the only way forward for sustainable animal agriculture. Mootral’s R&D puts animal health, farmer economics and planetary outcomes on an equal plane. To produce food in a way that is good for people, mindful of animal welfare, and helps restore the earth rather than deplete it, it is imperative to tackle all three issues together rather than piecemeal. “WE MUST MOVE AT CLIMATE SPEED. NOT GOVERNMENT SPEED, BOARD LEVEL SPEED, ACADEMIC SPEED, BUT CLIMATE SPEED. TO MITIGATE AGRICULTURAL IMPACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, IS TO FUTURE-PROOF FARMERS’ ABILITY TO FEED EIGHT BILLION PEOPLE.” – Thomas Hafner, Founder and CEO. This project is built on a vision where sustainable animal agriculture and climate solutions merge seamlessly, ensuring that the food produced meets nutritional needs while preserving our planet for future generations…
Main Benefits
- Radically reduce methane intensity of cattle across the world
- Eliminate the need for preventative use of antibiotics in animal rearing
- Mootral Ruminant: a natural feed supplement that reduces methane emissions by 30% from ruminants, based on a proprietary combination of organosulfur compounds from garlic and bioflavonoids extracted from citrus
- Enterix™: a natural feed supplement that significantly reduces methane emissions from cattle, improves animal health and increases milk yields
- Xaloo™: a range of feed solutions formulated to support the gut health of poultry, newborn and weaned piglets, calves and rabbits, utilising Mootral’s proprietary blend of phytogenics to enhance nutrient absorption and immune response
Innovative Solutions in Feed Technology
Mootral’s products, including Mootral Ruminant, Enterix™, and Xaloo™, exemplify innovative approaches merging science with nature. Designed over the last 10 years both in lab and real farm conditions, these natural feed supplements offer a fresh perspective on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously enhancing animal well-being. The emphasis on organosulfur compounds derived from garlic and bioflavonoids from citrus provides a unique solution that resonates with both agricultural productivity and environmental responsibility. It is a smart merger of traditional natural products and modern scientific research… a melding that speaks directly to the dynamic needs of the agriculture industry today.
Sustainable Farming and Animal Health
Intensive farming, driven by formidable productivity targets and ever finer margins, is increasingly untenable. This modern method of food production is depleting the earth’s ability to keep on giving while challenging the capacity of farmers to continuously produce quality food. Alongside these challenges, there is also the rising issue of antimicrobial resistance, which is directly linked to the preventative use of antibiotics in intensive animal rearing practices. By addressing these intertwined challenges—climate change, animal welfare, and antimicrobial resistance—the Mootral project is reshaping the conventional narrative of agriculture, in a manner that is both sustainable and revolutionary.
Technology and Farmer Economics
The development of Mootral’s solutions is guided by three fundamental principles, each essential for scalable change. First, health benefits and productivity gains must be embedded in any climate solution; without healthy animals, productivity cannot be optimal and climate outcomes suffer. Second, farmer economics are vital, as illustrated by the innovation of CowCredits—a global standard for high quality carbon credits that drive finance back into agriculture. Third, being technology agnostic helps align solutions with the complexities of adaptable animal microbiomes, reducing scientific risks and ensuring flexibility in an ever-changing regulatory landscape. These strategic choices emphasize not only innovation but also the economic realities and scientific challenges of today’s modern world.
Addressing Global Challenges in Agriculture
At its core, the Mootral project is on a mission to help farmers produce high quality food that is good for people, animals and the planet. This mission is underpinned by a clear recognition that modern agriculture is not just about maximising yields—it is also about maintaining the delicate balance between productivity, animal health, and environmental stewardship. The dual focus on reducing methane emissions and eliminating the need for preventative antibiotics is designed to forge a pathway toward a future where agriculture does not compromise the earth’s natural reserves, but rather contributes to their regeneration. In this way, Mootral sets out to future-proof the industry, ensuring that farming remains sustainable, resilient, and in tune with the urgent pace required by our changing climate…
Project Impact
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger – Enhancing agricultural outputs and ensuring food security
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – Reducing antibiotic dependence and improving animal health
- SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Strengthening farmer economics through innovative credit systems
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Promoting sustainable farming practices
- SDG 13: Climate Action – Reducing methane emissions to mitigate climate change impacts
- SDG 15: Life on Land – Preserving terrestrial ecosystems by ensuring responsible animal rearing practices
A Look to the Future
This forward-thinking project embodies the understanding that achieving optimal agricultural outcomes requires attention to environmental, economic, and animal welfare aspects all at once. The melding of breakthrough natural feed supplement formulations with a holistic approach to farming challenges traditional methods, pushing boundaries in scientific innovation as well as practical applications. By promoting technology agnosticism and focusing on real-world farming needs, the Mootral project continues to highlight that sustainable change is possible when health, productivity, and economic realities go hand in hand. The narrative of Mootral is not merely one of scientific advancement; it is a vibrant call to action for agricultural stakeholders to embrace change at the pace of the climate crisis, ensuring that the future of food production is a harmonious blend of progress and preservation…
