Real-Scale Study on Methane and Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction from Dairy Liquid Manure with the Commercial Additive SOP LAGOON

An inter-university study in a commercial barn (University of Milan and University of California, Davis) on bovine slurry showed up to an 80% reduction in methane (CH₄) emissions and up to 75% reduction in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions compared to the control using SOP LAGOON.

Summary: Two slurry storage tanks (treated vs. control) were monitored on a dairy farm. About four months after the first application of the additive, the treated tank showed significantly lower emissions: up to −80% CH₄ and up to −75% CO₂ compared to the control.

Methane (CH₄) is a potent greenhouse gas, and its reduction is a priority for achieving short-term climate benefits. The management and storage of livestock manure contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, making manure storage a strategic operational intervention point.

In this context, the study, under the supervision of Professor Bacenetti, evaluated the performance of the commercial additive SOP LAGOON under real on-farm conditions to reduce carbon-based greenhouse gas emissions (CH₄ and CO₂) from slurry over a period of approximately four months. Two slurry storage tanks were monitored on a commercial dairy farm: one treated with SOP® LAGOON and one left untreated (control). After four months from the first application of the additive, the treated tank showed statistically significant lower emissions, as supervised by Professor Acutis, compared to the control: up to −80% for methane (CH₄) and up to −75% for carbon dioxide (CO₂), confirming and improving results reported in previous small-scale studies.

The results indicate that SOP LAGOON is an effective and scalable strategy to mitigate the contribution of liquid manure storage to CH₄ emissions, with potential benefits for the overall sustainability of the dairy supply chain.