Investing in Conservation and Innovation: Elanco Animal Health Doubles Down on Improved Environmental Sustainability and Nutrient Utilization in Beef Production

Posted by: Becky Dvorak

Elanco announces year-one results of joint initiative with Ducks Unlimited
Elanco provides the market with first-of-its kind product innovation, Experior™ (lubabegron Type A medicated article), for reducing ammonia gas emissions in beef cattle

GREENFIELD, IND. (April 26, 2022) – As part of a multi-year initiative to restore working grasslands in western Kansas, Elanco Animal Health (NYSE: ELAN) and Ducks Unlimited are pleased to announce results from the year-one effort. In 2021 alone, the joint initiative helped to:

Restore 1,525 acres of working grasslands – representing a nearly 53% increase over the originally anticipated acreage goal in year-one (1,525/actual vs. 1,000/goal)
Improve carbon sequestration with 472.2 mtCO₂e/year of increased sequestration^a and reduced emissions
Support water quality of impacted playas through the removal of more than 36,000 kg of nitrogen and nearly 15,000 kg of phosphorous in runoff^b
Support the sustainability efforts of 20 Kansas landowners representing acreage in 30 different fields

“Improved environmental sustainability is about maintenance of good ecological outcomes and continual progress,” said Sara Place, Ph.D., Chief Sustainability Officer, Elanco Animal Health. “Elanco is committed to supporting conservation efforts, such as this results-oriented program with Ducks Unlimited, while at the same time providing the market with first-of-its kind innovations – like Experior™ (lubabegron Type A medicated article) – to help further support the environmental sustainability efforts of cattle producers.”

Elanco and Ducks Unlimited Represent Leave it Better™ in Action
Earlier this year, Elanco announced the Leave it Better™ initiative as the organization’s overarching effort to provide resources, education, and support for the beef industry’s long-time sustainability endeavors. The Elanco and Ducks Unlimited partnership, which is part of the Leave it Better™ initiative, includes a commitment to donate $150,000 through 2023 for continuation of grassland restoration efforts on working lands in Kansas.

“Working with Ducks Unlimited and Elanco is essential because landowners can’t make that type of financial commitment upfront to get these programs started. Farmers at their heart are stewards of the land, but it has to be economically viable,” said Logan Campbell, Kansas landowner/participant in the Elanco and
Ducks Unlimited program.

The Elanco investment in Ducks Unlimited is designated for the purchase of seed to establish native grassland buffers around restored playas in the region. Playas, which are seasonal wetlands, are a primary source of groundwater recharge and provide important, year-round habitat for birds and other wildlife. Additionally, in Kansas, playas contribute up to 95% of the water flowing to the Ogallala aquifer¹, the largest aquifer in the United States and the single most important source of water in the High Plains region. In fact, recharge rates in playa basins are 10 to 1,000 times higher than surrounding upland areas¹.Grassland buffers around playa’s remove 60-80% of nitrogen and phosphorus in runoff², providing a cleaner water source for both people and animals.

“Our program partnership with Elanco is a great example of a commitment to improvement over time,” said Billy Gascoigne, Ducks Unlimited. “We are pleased with the results of our first year working together, and we look forward to teaming up for more positive outcomes in the future.”

Elanco Couples Conservation with Innovation
“The roots of healthy, thriving grasslands are an important way to help retain nitrogen to improve soil quality,” said Place. “While Elanco is investing in the Ducks Unlimited conservation efforts that restore grasslands and playas – and ultimately help to improve nutrient utilization in the land – products like Experior help to improve nutrient utilization in animals, specifically beef cattle.”

Elanco’s newest innovation, Experior, is approved for the reduction of ammonia gas emissions per pound of live weight and hot carcass weight in beef steers and heifers fed in confinement for slaughter during the last 14 to 91 days on feed. It is the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved product labeled to reduce ammonia gas emissions from an animal or its waste³.

For more information about Experior and Elanco’s Sustainability Efforts, please visit www.experiorbeef.com or www.elancoleaveitbetter.com.

ABOUT ELANCO
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders, and society as a whole. With nearly 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to helping our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our Elanco Healthy Purpose™ Sustainability/ESG Pledges –all to advance the health of animals, people, and the planet. Learn more at elanco.com.

ABOUT DUCKS UNLIMITED

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved over 15 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.

Important Safety Information for Experior™
Caution: Not approved for use in breeding animals because safety and effectiveness have not been evaluated in these animals. Do not allow horses or other equines access to feed containing Experior. A decrease in dry matter intake may be noticed in some animals

The label contains complete use information, including cautions and warnings. Always read, understand, and follow the label, and use directions.

Indications for use: For the reduction of ammonia gas emissions per pound of live weight and hot carcass weight in beef steers and heifers fed in confinement for slaughter during the last 14 to 91 days on feed.

Directions for use: Feed. 1.25 to 4.54 g/ton (1.39 to 5 ppm) of complete feed (90% dry matter basis) to provide 13-90 mg lubabegron/head/day continuously to beef steers and heifers fed in confinement for slaughter as sole ration during the last 14 to 91 days on feed.

Based on existing information, reliable predictions of the reduction of ammonia gas emissions cannot be made on a herd, farm or larger scale.

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^aGrass restoration acres were multiplied by the per acre net CO2-equiv emissions reductions (sum of CH₄, N₂O and CO₂ converted to CO₂ equivalents) based on DayCent/COMET Farm model estimates for each county.

^bUsing measurements from Haukos et al. (2016) of nutrient attenuation across grassland buffers around Plays, we estimated the mass of nutrients removed by restored grasses by multiplying the average measured reduction in nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations by the average water flux across the buffer.

¹Gurdak, J.J., and Roe, C.D., 2009, Recharge rates and chemistry beneath playas of the High Plains aquifer—A literature review and synthesis: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1333, 39 p. https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/1333/pdf/C1333.pdf

²Haukos, David A., et al. "Effectiveness of vegetation buffers surrounding playa wetlands at contaminant and sediment amelioration." Journal of environmental management 181 (2016): 552-562.

³U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA In Brief: FDA approves first animal drug that reduces gas emissions from an animal or its waste. 6 November 2018. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-brief/fda-brief-fda-approves-first-animal-drug-reduces-gas-emissions-animal-or-its-waste