FutureFeed is a seaweed-based feed ingredient for livestock that is currently being developed by a dedicated team from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
In the second part of our story, FutureFeed claims if 10% of the livestock producers added 1.0% of Asparagopsis Seaweed Meal to the daily feed intake of ruminant livestock would be the equivalent of removing 100 million cars off the road.
Now that is substantial.
Two varieties of the seaweed are found growing in Australia that can be used and are being developed into a cost-effective product that uses the bioactive compound bromoform found in Asparagopsis (an edible red algae).
The aim is to create a product with consistent nutrient values that can be easily supplemented into feed.
The project has attracted major support and research is progressing.
However the largest hurdle is getting commercial quantities of the seaweed, which isn’t widely produced. Yet.
FutureFeed, a joint venture including CSIRO, MLA, James Cook University, Woolworths and GrainCorp, won a US $1 million prize for their work that investigates how adding a seaweed feed additive can significantly decrease the amount of methane out by cows.
Awarded in December last year, we could see FutureFeed fed to WA cows once the product is available since WA waters are suitable for farming Asparagopsis!
The sources!
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7056187/how-measuring-cow-farts-led-to-a-sustainable-seaweed-feed-solution/ https://foodplanetprize.org/entry/prizewinner-futurefeed/ https://www.future-feed.com/ https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/AF/Areas/Food-security/FutureFeed https://www.beefcentral.com/news/twiggy-forrest-woolies-back-seaweed-based-livestock-carbon-abatement-project/