The U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded a $169,028 Project Grant to Hoofprint Biome, Inc. under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program (CFDA 10.212). The funding supports the development of a scalable probiotic solution to reduce methane emissions from cattle. Hoofprint Biome is innovating a library of natural, bioactive peptides that inhibit methane production by microbes in the cattle rumen. The goal is to engineer the secretion of these peptides using the probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii, which has been shown to improve milk yield and feed efficiency. Successful completion of this 8-month Phase I project will yield a methane-reducing probiotic ready for field trials under a future Phase II proposal. If the technology proves effective, it could enhance dairy and beef profitability by over 25% while supporting U.S. emissions reduction targets.
Generated 12/3/24, 8:56 AM