An award-winning groundbreaking new technology, the CowToilet, is set to make its UK debut at Lamma and Dairy Tech 2026, offering dairy farmers a practical way to reduce ammonia emissions by up to a third, improve nutrient use, and enhance sustainability on-farm.
Developed by Dutch agri-tech company Hanskamp, the CowToilet offers a unique solution for reducing on-farm emissions by separating cow urine and faeces, which, when combined, produce ammonia.
Using the simple fact that cows never urinate and defecate at the same time, the CowToilet collects urine directly from under the cow’s tail before it mixes with solid manure.
The innovation has won two awards in the LAMMA Innovation Awards 2026 — Gold in the Future Innovation for Environmental Benefit of the Year category and Bronze in the Livestock/Dairy Innovation of the Year category.
The CowToilet integrates seamlessly into a free-access out-of-parlour feeding station which can be installed in most cattle sheds. As a cow enters to eat, the CowToilet gently rubs against the suspensory ligament of the udder, triggering a natural nerve reflex that encourages urination. The urine is then collected in a sealed receptacle, removed by suction, and stored in an airtight tank.
Research by Wageningen Livestock Research shows that keeping urine and manure separate can reduce ammonia emissions by up to 38%, total nitrogen by 33%, and nitrous oxide by 18% compared with conventional housing systems
“Ammonia is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing the livestock sector,” said Hanskamp founder Henk Hanskamp.
“We wanted to create a system that works with nature, not against it – improving animal welfare and helping farmers meet environmental targets without adding to their workload. The CowToilet achieves this in a simple, natural, and effective way.”
Click here to watch a demo of the CowToilet.
