The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

The dairy industry is a significant contributor to the world's global greenhouse gas emissions, responsible for around 3.4% according to FAO data. Modern technologies are seeking to address this – and CowToilet, developed by Dutch agricultural technology company Hanskamp, sits among these efforts. In this Q&A we speak to Armand Booij, international dealer support manager at Hanskamp, about how the CowToilet system offers potential to reduce ammonia emissions.

What specific problem were you trying to solve when you first developed CowToilet, and why did ammonia emissions become the focus?

Cows cannot defecate and urinate at the same time, but dairy farming creates housing in which we create slurry. This slurry serves as fertiliser for farmers, but the combination of cow urine and faeces creates ammonia, which converts to nitrous oxide, causing an indirect greenhouse effect and leading to increased emissions.

This was our initial trigger to look into a separation at the source. By using CowToilet to separate the urine and faeces, we are reducing the loss of nitrogen and containing it as urine in a storage silo. The system collects urine directly from under the cow’s tail before it mixes with solid manure.

The system relies on a natural nerve reflex to trigger urination - how did you validate that this process is safe, stress-free and welfare-positive for cows?

We validated this by examining the cows in the same way we would look at milking. Our process has even less impact on the animals. It has been researched by Wageningen Livestock Research (WUR), and they could not determine any stress increase for the cow.

Separating cow faeces and urine also keeps housing cleaner and improves air quality, contributing to improved animal health and hygiene.

Research from WUR shows ammonia reductions of up to 38%. How do those results translate from controlled research into real-world farm conditions?

The WUR research was conducted as a case-control study. It compared two barn set-ups with the exact same type of cows, feeding regime and lactation stages. One barn was equipped with the CowToilet and the other without it.

Alongside this, we have additional reports of commercial farms indicating an even higher reduction. We can demonstrate this through simple slurry and urine analyses.

The CowToilet separates nitrogen-rich urine for reuse or sale. How realistic is nutrient trading or fertiliser reuse for most farms, particularly in the UK context?

In countries with high livestock density compared to land availability, farmers pay to export slurry from their farms, with 85% of this cost based on the level of nitrogen they are allowed to produce. The UK faces this issue to a lesser extent.

The EU has allowed ReNure, which makes it possible to upgrade and reuse slurry for fertiliser. However, we need to look more into how this might fit in the UK, or whether it is less of an issue given the different nitrogen levels.

How easily can the system be integrated into existing cattle housing, and what are the main barriers UK farmers might face during installation or adoption?

The system is relatively easy to install, although it does require sufficient space in the barn to allow cows to enter and exit comfortably. We have been surprised by the ease with which it has been installed and integrated into existing barns so far.

With tightening environmental regulation across Europe, do you see technologies like this becoming voluntary best practice – or eventually a necessity for compliance?

Farmers have many ways to improve their environmental impact, and this is just one of them. Our focus is ensuring that the CowToilet delivers economic benefits for farmers, even without regulatory pressure.

Looking ahead, how do you see precision waste separation evolving in livestock farming, and what role do you expect CowToilet technology to play in that future?

In the Netherlands and Belgium, the system is already officially approved, and we are now in the process of exploring opportunities to introduce it in additional countries. Our focus is that the CowToilet should deliver sustainability gains without requiring market compliance.