October 18, 2019

New Zealand government to fund methane-reducing cattle feed project

NZ$100,000 (~US$63,700; NZ$1=US$0.64) will be channelled to the Cawthron Institute to transform Asparagopsis armata, a native red seaweed, into supplementary cattle feed able to reduce methane produced by livestock, reported NewsHub.

Funds from the New Zealand government's Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures will be matched by Cawthron's contribution of NZ$150,000. The year-long project will commence research on Asparagopsis' effect towards greenhouse gas emissions and create an initial proof of concept on the manufacture systems required to develop the Asparagopsis feed supplement on a pilot-scale.

An Australian research has discovered that harvested and dried Asparagopsis can be used as supplementary feed for ruminants. Previous trials using Asparagopsis have proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in livestock by up to 80%, said Damien O'Conner, New Zealand's Agriculture Minister.

Other supplementary feed products only reduce emissions by 20% at most.

He cites the same research, stating if 10% of global ruminant producers were to embrace Asparagopsis as livestock additive feed, the resulting effect would be the same as eliminating 50 million cars off global roads.

He believes the Cawthron project will become the base for a new high value industry­­­—resulting in new jobs, economic benefits for farmers and a new premium price label for meat and milk.

The Cawthron Institute will also collaborate with Australian researchers and the University of Waikato for this project.

- NewsHub New Zealand