Launch of Innovative PondBoost Trial at Hunsingo Dairy Farm

Hunsingo, May 2025 – At the Hunsingo Dairy farm in the Dutch province of Groningen, a promising field trial with the product PondBoost by Mosmart Benelux officially commenced in early May. The trial focuses on improving manure quality, reducing gas emissions—specifically ammonia volatilization and hydrogen sulfide formation—and enhancing the value of slurry as a fertilizer.

During the initial test days on May 7, 8, and 9, PondBoost was automatically added to the slurry pit using a manure robot equipped with a misting system. At the same time, gas sensors were installed to monitor the formation of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), ammonia (NH₃), and methane (CH₄) in the barn environment. The goal is to determine whether PondBoost contributes to a safer and more sustainable barn climate.

The origins of this trial can be traced back thousands of kilometers. Mosmart is introducing PondBoost—based on the active component M3T—as a revolutionary additive for slurry enhancement in the Dutch dairy sector. M3T has been under extensive research in New Zealand since 2017 and has yielded impressive results.

Research shows that the addition of M3T to slurry significantly reduces nitrogen losses. Moreover, treated manure has demonstrated considerable benefits for grasslands. Soluble sugar content in grass increases by 44%, metabolizable energy rises by 7.5%, and carbohydrate content grows by 59%. As a result, milk production per cow rose by 22.2% over two years, grass yield increased by 75 kg per hectare, and the stocking density grew from 3.1 to 7.5 cows per hectare. Additionally, the use of artificial fertilizer was cut in half.

The Dutch dairy sector differs from that of New Zealand, with smaller farms, higher milk yields per cow, and less grazing. Still, Mosmart views these differences as both a challenge and an opportunity. The Netherlands faces major issues concerning nitrogen emissions, manure surpluses, and environmental pressure. M3T has the potential to turn manure from a costly waste product into a valuable resource.

As such, the field trial at Hunsingo Dairy is not just a technical showcase—it represents a potential breakthrough in the search for sustainable solutions to the nitrogen crisis.

The coming months will be critical. Manure and grass samples will be collected every two weeks, and the barn atmosphere will be continuously monitored. The first results of PondBoost’s impact on the slurry pit are expected this autumn.

Hunsingo Dairy is uniquely suited for this research thanks to its so-called "mirror barn" setup—two identical barns with separate slurry pits. One barn serves as a reference without PondBoost, while the other receives a daily dose of the product. This side-by-side configuration allows for accurate comparisons under nearly identical conditions, enabling a solid evaluation of PondBoost’s effectiveness.

Mosmart believes that M3T has the potential not only to transform dairy farming but also to make a meaningful contribution to addressing broader societal and ecological challenges. With innovations like PondBoost, the company envisions a future where agriculture, innovation, and nature work hand in hand—and where the Netherlands maintains its position as a global leader in sustainable farming.