Antler Bio blog

Innovation award finalist launching at Dairy-Tech

Antler Bio — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:10:24 GMT

2026 Royal Dairy Innovation Award finalist Antler Bio are launching their cutting-edge epigenetics tool EpiHerd to delegates at Dairy-Tech this year.

Recognised by the award scheme for its novel use of gene expression analysis, EpiHerd identifies why cows can perform very differently under the same management system, even if they have similar genetics.

The tool measures how cows’ genes are being affected by external factors like nutrition, housing and management. It does this by translating complex biological data collected via blood samples, creating clear, farm-specific recommendations that farmers can act on immediately to unlock performance, improve herd health and boost profitability.

EpiHerd has been independently validated in collaboration with the University of Nottingham. It is being used successfully by more than 100 Finnish dairy farms and now being adopted on UK dairy farms.

Farmers using EpiHerd typically see a return on investment of more than 7:1 through optimisation of inputs and improved herd health, fertility, yield and efficiency.

To celebrate their first time at the show, Antler Bio is offering stand visitors the chance to win a free EpiHerd package worth £4,000.

Chief operations officer Andrew Lessey will also deliver a presentation about EpiHerd during the Dairy Game Changers session at 10am in the Innovation Hub.

“Being named a finalist in the Royal Dairy Innovation Awards is a strong endorsement of not only the science behind EpiHerd, but also its practical value on farm and relevance to the sector’s challenges,” Andrew says. “Our team are thrilled to be recognised at Dairy-Tech amongst some of the biggest leaders in British dairying.

“Our focus has always been on giving farmers practical insights they can use straight away and helping them improve the profitability and resilience of their existing cows, even in challenging market conditions. We believe EpiHerd will help top-performing dairy farmers, who are already highly efficient, take their businesses to the next level.”

Antler Bio takes investment to $8.5m to revolutionise dairy farming with world-first technology

Antler Bio — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:30:00 GMT

Antler Bio, an AgriTech company transforming dairy farming with gene expression technology, has announced a $4.3 million investment to scale its world-first EpiHerd system. Operating across key European markets including the UK, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, EpiHerd provides farmers with a unique understanding of their cows' health. Using advanced data analytics, the technology interprets how a cow's genes respond to its environment, detecting stress and nutritional imbalances, and helping farmers take proactive measures that improve wellbeing and increase milk yield, ultimately boosting farm profitability.

The investment round is led by The First Thirty Ventures, a leading venture capital firm that invests in early-stage agricultural technologies delivering health outcomes. It also included Endgame Capital and regenerative agriculture angel syndicate Generation-RE, bringing Antler Bio's total raised to $8.5m including grants.

A world-first approach to decoding dairy herds

Working with over 100 farms across Europe, Antler Bio's EpiHerd has delivered transformative results, including milk yield increases of up to 22%, a 6% rise in milk fat, and a 5% increase in milk protein. These improvements deliver not only higher volumes but also better quality, more nutritious milk, helping farmers earn better prices while promoting healthier cows. This holistic approach to dairy farming drives profitability alongside enhanced fertility, resilience, longevity, and overall herd wellbeing, with an average return on investment to the farmer of more than 7:1.

Supporting farmers at a critical moment

The investment comes at a pivotal time. Between April 2023 and April 2024, over 440 dairy farms in the UK exited the industry, squeezed by low milk prices, rising input costs, and regulatory pressures. In the US, upcoming changes to the Federal Milk Marketing Order will reward milk quality over quantity, while EU milk production is forecast to drop to 149.4 million metric tons in 2025. Farmers worldwide are under pressure to do more with less.

Antler Bio is stepping in with a timely solution, helping farmers unlock new value from existing herds by identifying and addressing hidden factors limiting performance, as well as improving overall herd wellbeing.

Maria Jensen, CEO & Co-Founder of Antler Bio, said: "Bringing a technology like EpiHerd to an industry that has never seen anything quite like it is no small task, but we're incredibly excited about the future. This investment will enable us to scale EpiHerd to thousands of farms across Europe, grow our team, and continue refining the technology to meet the evolving needs of farmers, benefiting their profits but, importantly, the wellbeing of their animals."

Naeem Lakhani, Managing Partner at The First Thirty, added: At The First Thirty, our AgriHealth Investment Strategy backs world-class companies creating value where agriculture meets human health. Antler Bio is a great example, combining biology and technology to help reshape the global food system. Their work supports animal welfare, enhances farm efficiency, and leads to improved nutrition for consumers. As a company at the forefront of this change, we're proud to support their journey.

About Antler Bio

Antler Bio is an AgriTech company transforming dairy farming with its world's first solution, EpiHerd. Founded in 2020, Antler Bio uses advanced gene expression data to help farmers identify and address hidden factors limiting their herd's capabilities. EpiHerd interprets how cows' genes respond to environmental stress, nutrition, and health challenges, enabling farmers to make informed decisions that increase milk yield, improve animal welfare, and enhance fertility, resilience, and longevity.

Operating across key European markets including the UK, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. Antler Bio partners with over 100 farms, delivering measurable gains in productivity and sustainability.

Founded by CEO Maria Jensen and CSO Nathalie Conte, who bring extensive expertise in gene expression and data analytics from human and animal health sectors, Antler Bio is committed to advancing livestock farming through gene expression technology.

About The First Thirty Ventures

The First Thirty (TFT) Ventures is a venture capital firm focused on early-stage agricultural technology companies that drive measurable improvements in human health outcomes. TFT specialises in seed-stage investments in businesses leveraging AI, biotechnology, and data to enhance soil, plant, and animal health, while addressing the broader connection to human health.

With a dedicated team combining expertise in technology, agriculture, biotech scaling, and healthcare, TFT supports visionary founders developing solutions that benefit both planetary and human wellbeing. Its portfolio includes pioneering companies such as Edacious, Antler Bio, and Cerve.

For more information, visit https://www.tft.vc/

Antler Bio selected as a finalist for the Innovation Showcase at the Livestock Innovation Summit

Antler Bio — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 16:15:00 GMT

The Livestock Innovation Summit is a two day event being held in London on Wednesday 7th and Thursday 8th September 2022 aiming to bring together experts and stakeholders from across the livestock industries to 'Drive innovation in livestock production and accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices to future-proof the livestock industry'.

As part of the Summit programme, an Innovation Showcase provides an exciting opportunity for start-ups and early stage companies who are tackling the biggest challenges in the livestock industry to showcase their innovations in front of the audience on the main stage.

Antler Bio is thrilled to announce that we have been selected as a finalist for the Innovation Showcase by the Executive Selection Committee as one of the companies at the forefront of innovation in the industry. We will be presenting our data-driven Epigenomics technology live on the main stage on Thursday 8th September and look forward to making an impact and meeting as many people as possible.