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Sustainability

Sustainability is a non-negotiable in agriculture. The animal food supply chain is faced with growing pressures to reduce methane and carbon dioxide emissions. As concern for our planet’s finite resources escalates, we have a responsibility to be proactive in sourcing solutions and partnerships that can relieve environmental strain and prioritize sustainability on-farm. KEENAN are at the forefront of supporting farmers achieve a carbon neutral footprint. We have patented a number of our innovations that make our diet feeders not only safer and more user-friendly, but also durable and economical.

Carbon Trust validate the KEENAN green machine 

KEENAN, has been validated by the Carbon Trust as a diet feeder, which can reduce methane emissions on-farm. As a company, KEENAN has long been synonymous with engineering cutting-edge diet feeders, which produce a unique homogeneous mix that optimizes rumen health and ensures consistent animal performance.

The Carbon Trust has validated that reduced methane output can come as a result of improved feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in livestock. Having investigated the output from the KEENAN diet feeder and reviewing data from the KEENAN controller, the Carbon Trust has established that the KEENAN machine can  reduce methane emissions. 

The unique engineering features and mixing action of a KEENAN diet feeder make it synonymous with mix quality. Mix quality is the sum of many parts, including chop type and length as well as fiber type, presentation and most importantly, consistency. Optimized diet formulation relies heavily on the physical mix that is delivered to the animals; this mix needs to be delivered consistently every day in order for farms to achieve their production goals while enhancing the efficient use of their feed.

The Carbon Trust report cited that improving herd performance through improved FCE can reduce methane production. KEENAN estimates this can lead to as much as 25 percent less methane when a below average herd receives rations from the KEENAN diet feeder and the KEENAN Controller.

KEENAN has been a member of the Alltech family of companies since April 2016. Alltech has always been deeply rooted in their sustainability efforts and continue to strengthen their commitment to the animal, environment and consumer, with their Planet of Plenty initiative.

“With the adoption of new technologies and management practices, and, most of all, human ingenuity, we believe a Planet of Plenty is possible,” said Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Our Planet of Plenty vision propels our founding ACE (animal, consumer, environment) principle into a new world of possibility, where anyone and everyone can make a positive impact on our shared planet.”

KEENAN contributes to plastic repurposing

KEENAN supplied a MechFiber300 diet feeder, equipped with a KEENAN controller to plastic roads company MacRebur. The machine will be used to mix granulated plastic waste with an activator developed by MacRebur to create a mix that will be distributed to asphalt producers. MacRebur uses plastic waste that is ready for road constructions and surfacing. This helps to extend and improve the bitumen binder, the liquid binder that holds asphalt together. Intensive studies have revealed plastic roads to be more robust and flexible, improving the lifespan up to 60 percent. The company plans to take this new style of recycling global, using local plastic waste for local roads.