10 Beneficial attributes of biochar for Dairy cows
Since 2010 biochar has been used as an input in animal farming (Gerlach and Schmidt, 2012; Schmidt et al., 2019). Several studies have documented livestock and soil health improvement with the use of biochar as a feed supplement. Improvements in the animal immune system, digestibility, and quality of milk (higher protein and fat) and meat have been evidence as well as the elimination of toxins (Gerlach and Schmidt, 2012 and Erickson et al., 2011).
The application to soil of animal manure mixed with porous biochar also offers multiple benefits, both agronomic and economic, by providing plants with essential nutrients and reducing nutrient leaching from the soil (Tahery, et al., 2023).
Biochar is an ideal input into Dairy systems because of many benefits to the system itself. An outline of a number of positive benefits that enhance the efficiency and product yield, as well as mitigating some of the negative environmental effects that arise in commercial dairy farms follows shortly. The addition of biochar at rates of 0.8%-1% dry matter intake (DMI) per cow per day can lead to improvements in the following areas:
1. Improved weight gain
Biochar supplementation confers several benefits to ruminant health and productivity. It has been shown to reduce scouring in young animals and improve nutrient absorption (Man et al., 2020).
A significant body of research indicates that biochar enhances rumen fermentation patterns. It often increases the concentration of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), particularly propionate, which is a more energetically efficient energy source for the animal compared to acetate and butyrate (Leng et al., 2012). This shift in VFA profile is consistent with the observed reduction in methane and indicates improved energy harvest from feed.
Improvements in rumen health and function translate to tangible productivity gains. Biochar feed supplements enhanced average daily gain and feed efficiency in growing beef and lamb animals (Leng et al., 2012). The supplementation also appears to improve nitrogen utilisation, reducing nitrogen excretion in urine and potentially lowering ammonia emissions from manure (Saroeun et al., 2018). Positive correlation of methane-reducing factors with increased feed conversion efficiencies were noted in field trials on dairy cattle (Veneman et al., 2016, Qomariyah et al, 2023).
2. More milk and better
Another beneficial effect of feeding biochar to animals is due to its redox activity as a "geobattery" and "geoconductor" that accepts, stores, and mediates electrons for microbial biochemical reactions (Sun et al., 2017). This electron-shuttling capability, which is linked to its production temperature (low-temp biochar acts as a battery; high-temp biochar as a conductor), helps overcome metabolic redox limitations in the anaerobic gastrointestinal tract, potentially leading to more energy-efficient digestion and higher feed efficiency (Liu et al., 2012; Kappler et al., 2014).
Despite limited scientific studies, widespread European farmer and veterinary practice indicates that feeding biochar to cattle improves overall health, increases vitality and weight gain, enhances milk quality (e.g., lower somatic cell count), and reduces issues like diarrhea, hoof problems, and veterinary costs (Gerlach & Schmidt, 2012). One promising study in South Australia resulted in milk yield increases of at least 2% and a definite positive return on investment in the cost of purchasing biochar for each cow and farm income (by a minimum of 6.0%) (Tahery et al, 2023).
Powered activated carbon* supplementation had a significant increase in milk protein by over 2% and milk fat was significantly increased to an average of 6% (Al-Azzawi et al., 2021).
3. Higher fertility
The general consensus currently in the academic literature is that biochar can improve overall animal health and digestive performance, which indirectly supports better reproductive outcomes. Biochar has been and still is used because of its high adsorption capacity for a variety of different toxins like mycotoxins, plant toxins, pesticides as well as toxic metabolites or pathogens (Schmidt et al., 2019). Adsorption therapy, which uses activated biochar as a non-digestible sorbent, is considered one of the most important ways of preventing harmful or fatal effects of orally ingested toxins (McKenzie, 1991; McLennan & Amos, 1989). The therapeutic use of charcoal as a feed supplement and prophylactic to adsorb toxins and prevent or treat diarrhea and infectious diseases in livestock was a known and recommended practice among German veterinarians in the early 20th century (Mangold, 1936). A charcoal-sauerkraut juice combination and humic acids led to the improved health of Holstein cows in Europe challenged by glyphosate in GMO Feeds accompanied by some with chronic botulism (Gerlach et al., 2014).
4. Lower methane emissions
The primary mechanism by which biochar suppresses methanogenesis is believed to be its impact on the rumen ecosystem, particularly through its porous structure and surface functionality. Biochar's extensive surface area and complex pore network provide a habitat for microbial colonisation, including bacteria that compete with methanogenic archaea for metabolic hydrogen (H₂) (Leng et al., 2012). Hydrogen is a key substrate for methanogenesis, and its diversion towards alternative metabolic pathways, such as reductive acetogenesis or sulfidogenesis, can directly reduce methane production (McAllister & Newbold, 2008). In vitro studies have demonstrated that biochar can facilitate H₂ transfer and act as an electron shuttle, promoting these alternative hydrogen sinks (Valentin et al., 2023).
The functionality of biochar is a crucial determinant of its anti-methanogenic potential, so in order to enhance the performance of high surface-area biochars produced at higher temperatures, their functionality may also be increased through techniques such as addition of mineral salts, metallic oxides, or clays to the feedstocks before or after pyrolysis (Chacón et al., 2020; Joseph et al., 2021).
While in vitro results are consistently promising, evidence from in vivo trials is more variable, though generally positive. The dosage of biochar appears to be a critical factor. Wood biochars used at an average rate of 1.2% of DMI yielded methane reductions of 8.8–12.9% in controlled feeding, but this is yet to be verified in grazing (Martinez-Fernandez et al., 2024).
5. Less drenching and better health
In vitro and in vivo experiments with bovine calves showed that biochar, especially in combination with wood vinegar, was able to control parasitic protozoan Cryptosporidium parvum infection and to stop diarrhea of calves within one day. The number of oocysts in the feces dropped significantly after a single day of feeding biochar and after 5 days no more oocysts could be found in the feces of the calves (Watarai, Tana & Koiwa, 2008).
Since 1915, research into activated biochar had revealed its effect in reducing and adsorbing pathogenic clostridial toxins from Clostridium tetani and Clostridium botulinum (Skutetzky & Starkenstein, 1914; Luder, 1947). Herbicides are also bound to biochar in the gastrointestinal tract, especially glyphosate which is known to cause changes in the gastrointestinal microbiota (Gerlach et al., 2012).
6. Improved pasture recovery and soil health
A Western Australian farm trial involving feeding biochar to cattle where there were known dung beetle activity concluded that “strategy was effective in improving soil properties and increasing returns to the farmer. It was also concluded that the biochar adsorbed nutrients from the cow’s gut and from the dung. Dung beetles could transport this nutrient-rich biochar into the soil profile. There was little evidence that the recalcitrant component of the biochar was reduced through reactions inside the gut or on/in the soil.” (Joseph et al., 2015)
During its passage through the digestion system of the cattle, biochar seems to capture organic and mineral compounds with high plant fertilising properties (Schmidt et al., 2017). Most of these captured plant nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) remain bound in the porous structure of the biochar until its incorporation into the soil, where they likely become, to a large extent, plant available as has also been found for biochar after aerobic composting (Schmidt et al., 2017).
7. Nutrient retention and leaching reduction
Biochar and biology rich systems can be created to treat agricultural run-off. These reduce the Nitrogen in dairy wastewater by 91% as well as reduce Nitric Oxide concentrations (Rahman et al., 2020) and can be used to recover lost nutrients such as phosphate (Ghezzehei et al., 2014). The associated costs of recovering nutrients has reduced in recent years (Maroušek et al., 2020). Similarly, biochar-amended vegetated filter strips for the treatment of nitrates in silage bunker (feed storage) runoff areas also reduced Nitrogen leaching and loss to the atmosphere. Biochar filters can also recover lost nutrients and reduce the fertiliser costs (Sanford et al., 2019). Biochar can be added to slurry before pasture application and has the potential to reduce total gaseous losses (Brennan, et al., 2020).
Moreover, farmers reported that adding 0.1% biochar (m/m) in a liquid manure pit reduced odors, surface crust and nutrient losses (Schmidt, 2014; Kammann et al., 2017).
8. Over wintering barn bedding benefits
Biochar applied to bedding (hay, woodchips, straw, sawdust, etc) at 5-10% by volume acts as a sorbent for both gasses and animal excrement, capturing N from leaching or volatising as well as reducing hoof disease and odours (O’Toole et al., 2016).
Modifying the pH of biochar greatly improves its capacity as a bedding material. Urolytic bacteria, which convert urea into ammonia, are most effective in conditions around pH 8.5-9 (Spokas et al., 2012; Ritz et al., 2011).
Incorporating fresh char into animal bedding also increases the quality of biochar by inoculating the surfaces and pores with nutrients and microbes (Joseph et al., 2015; Mia et al., 2017). These improved ‘biochars’ can then be applied to agricultural soils, improving soil health and climate resilience or even better added to a composting process.
9. Manure composting improved
Biochar adds air, retains moisture, speeds up composting, adds microbe habitat, adds a liming effect, reduces leaching, and decreases the associated GHG emissions (see article for full details and references). Biochar production with manure as a feedstock results in high macronutrient availability compared with other biochars (Schmidt et al., 2017).
10. Anaerobic digestion (biogas) enhancement
Biochar has been shown to increase the methane production in biogas digesters and decrease gas impurities. A recent review by Tang et al. (2020), concluded that additions of biochar improved the efficiency of AD by improving conditions for microorganisms and enzymes responsible for biogas production. This is supported by (Chiappero et al., 2020).
Further Information
* Activated Carbon is different to biochar, mainly in having higher surface area, and therefore generally means a larger amount of biochar will be needed to gain the same effect.
Here are some great supporting resources we have found:
The whole article titled: “The use of biochar in animal feeding” at https://peerj.com/articles/7373/ is an exhaustive documentation of related research as at 2019.
How biochar works, and when it doesn't: A review of mechanisms controlling soil and plant responses to biochar https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcbb.12885 in 2021
Can Biochar Improve the Sustainability of Animal Production? Review in 2022 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/10/5042#B94-applsci-12-05042
Anecdotal and case study evidence from a Goulburn, Victoria, Australia trial involving organic dairies showed increases in milk yield and quality as well as improved soil carbon and soil minerals in the soil as a result of feeding biochar through the animals (and dung beetles to bury the manure): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r2-2p_HFlDeEjGvmH9Tg_4VZzBgcT7FI/view 2022
References
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Schmidt H, Hagemann N, Draper K, Kammann C. 2019. The use of biochar in animal feeding. PeerJ 7:e7373 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.7373
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