Alltech has acquired The E-CO2 Project Ltd., a provider of on-farm environmental assessments and programs, to strengthen its service offering to livestock producers.

The purchase builds on the recent close business partnership forged between the two companies to help farmers make their operations more efficient, profitable and sustainable, Alltech said.

"Carbon and water efficiency are a growing issue within both the food chain and everyday life," said Dr. Pearse Lyons, president and founder of Alltech. "The acquisition of E-CO2 underscores Alltech's long-term commitment to strong, sustainable global agriculture, as well as to food quality and safety for an expanding population."

For more than 17 years — initially through CMS UK Services Ltd. — E-CO2 has developed its portfolio of environmental software and services in response to the need to further understand greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and the food chain. Its clients range from small family farms to integrated livestock operations and commercial feed mills, as well as large retailers and processors increasingly under pressure to reduce their environmental footprint and meet government and corporate sustainability targets.

Based in Crewe, U.K., E-CO2 will now move forward as Alltech E-CO2. Alltech E-CO2 assessments will continue to determine the environmental impact of a farm as a holistic measure of overall efficiency, the announcement said. Assessments will be directly linked to physical and financial performance, where custom feeding regimes and management practices can be developed to improve farm efficiency and profitability, sustainably.

According to Alltech, the acquisition gives it a greater presence on-farm and will foster improved links with state institutions, processors and retailers. Alltech E-CO2 will benefit from access to Alltech's global operations and team of scientists, nutritionists and marketing experts. Alltech E-CO2 will also make its range of products and services available to all of Alltech's global offices.