For years, scientists and agricultural experts have focused considerable attention on reducing methane produced by cows, primarily because of its severe impact as a greenhouse gas. While prior approaches, coming mostly from climate science, struggled to significantly make a dent, startup Hoofprint Biome has introduced a promising alternative by approaching the issue through a farmer’s lens.
Co-founded by CEO Kathryn Polkoff, who holds a PhD in animal science, Hoofprint Biome aims to solve the methane problem by enhancing animal nutrition, health, and productivity. Polkoff first encountered the methane emissions issue in the context of farm animal nutrition rather than climate change, enabling her and co-founder Scott Collins to tackle the challenge from an entirely different angle.
Their innovative solution involves altering the complex microbiome found in a cow’s rumen—the chamber where digestion starts—using specially developed enzymes. These enzymes curb the population of specific methane-producing microbes, preventing them from consuming nutrients essential for the animal’s growth. Consequently, the treated cows yield less methane and reap greater nutritional benefits from their feed, potentially improving overall productivity and efficiency.
Hoofprint Biome’s novel approach has piqued substantial investor interest, securing the company a $15 million Series A funding round led by venture firm SOSV. Other participants include notable names like AgriZeroNZ, Alexandria Venture Investments, Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, Breakthrough Energy Fellows, Good Growth Capital, Ponderosa Ventures, and Twynam. The new influx of capital will go towards trialing enzyme treatments on commercial farms.
According to Polkoff, current methods of cattle farming have spent generations meticulously breeding livestock for optimal efficiency and productivity, yet few have explored ways to directly reshape the ruminal microbiome itself. In her words, ignoring that microbiome is comparable to designing cars without ever upgrading the engine—the key source of energy conversion and efficiency.
SOSV General Partner Po Bronson, who spearheaded his firm’s investment, emphasized the importance of Hoofprint’s natural, protein-based enzyme, derived from microbes found naturally inside cows’ digestive systems. Bronson highlighted the enzyme’s biodegradability and compatibility with existing biological processes as key factors differentiating Hoofprint’s offering from prior attempts that faced consumer skepticism.
Bronson pointed out that previously developed methane-reduction additives, such as Bovaer, faced resistance driven by misinformation campaigns. He believes Hoofprint will sidestep these pitfalls because farmers widely accept natural animal-derived proteins, making the product less prone to controversy.
Alongside its environmental benefits, the startup is aiming for tangible productivity improvements for farmers, targeting a five-percent boost in feed efficiency—meaning cattle would gain more weight using the same or smaller amount of feed, thereby offering clear financial incentives to livestock producers.
Ultimately, Hoofprint Biome’s strategy not only has the potential to reduce contributions to global warming—given methane’s potency at 84 times that of carbon dioxide—but also opens new possibilities for economic gains, giving farmers strong incentives to adopt sustainable practices conducive to a healthier climate.
