Seaweed as Livestock Feed

Feeding seaweed to livestock has the potential to reduce enteric methane and improve animal health and productivity outcomes. Published research on this topic can be found in the Digital Library tab. Further research is still required to determine if seaweed-based ingredients are effective, safe, and scalable along every step of the value chain, from ocean to farm to human consumption. The following is a directory of research projects that recently took place or currently are taking place around the globe related to seaweed as a livestock feed (updated Nov 2020 from WWF’s Seaweed for Livestock Feed Workshop). If you are interested in adding your organization’s name and information to this list, please feel free to email us at sRahman@Hawaii.edu 

  •  Aarhus University, Research Description: Projects include feed value/evaluation, protein value/evaluation, health effects on young animals, effect on methane emissions, and conservation (ensiling) of seaweed. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits Intestinal health. Seaweed Analytics: Health Base diet Safety. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber In vitro gas production system. Contact Person: Dr. Martin Riis Meisbjerg
  •  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada,   Research Description: Structure of seaweed cell walls; glycomic analysis of polysaccharides; protein-carbohydrate interactions; microbial metabolism of complex carbohydrates. Seaweed Analytics: Base diet, Contact Person: Dr. Wade Abbott
  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Description: Group investigating macro and microalgae native to Canadian waters for anti-methanogenic properties and beneficial effects as animal feed. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds Base diet Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber SF6 tracer method Green Feed system Contact Person: Dr. Wade Abbott, Dr. Karen Beauchemin (PI)
  • Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Research Description: Investigating the role of farming seaweed in oceanic carbon capture and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions during the seaweed life cycle. Seaweed Analytics:  Carbon and nitrogen analysis. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber. Contact Person: Dr. Aurora M Ricart, Dr. Nichole Price (PI)
  •  Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Research Description: Investigating the possibility of using byproducts from seaweed processors as a feed supplement. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet, Safety. Contact Person: Dr. Nichole Price (PI)
  • Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Research Description: Microbial impact of seaweed additives on rumen microbiota, specifically methanogens. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Safety. Contact Person: Dr. David Emerson, Dr. Nichole Price (PI)
  • Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Research Description: Investigating the efficacy of seaweed bioactive, including halogenated compounds, to suppress methane production. Runs facility that analyses bioactive and other components of seaweeds for other researchers and customers. Seaweed Analytics:  Bioactive compounds, Health  Contact Person: Dr. Stephen Archer.
  • Blue Ocean Barns, Research Description: Investigating the degradation of bromoform in the rumen. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Safety. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: GreenFeed System. Contact Person: Joan Salwen.
  • Cascadia Seaweed, Research Description: Identification and subsequent ocean cultivation of temperate species native to the Pacific Northwest that provides relief from bovine enteric methane emissions. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: GreenFeed System. Contact Person: Dr. Jennifer Clark, Kennedy Nikel, Bill Collins (PI).
  • Clarkson University, Research Description: Lifecycle assessment of the environmental impacts of feeding seaweed and other additives to dairy cows to reduce methane emissions, including (but not limited to) nutrient uptake and kelp harvesting, displaced components of the traditional diet, and cow gas emissions. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Modeling. Contact Person: Dr. Susan Powers, Dr. Shane Rogers.
  • CSIRO and FutureFeed Pty Ltd, Research Description:  All aspects of the effect of Asparagopsis as a feed ingredient for ruminant livestock (environmental, animal health, and food safety, animal performance, economic viability, seaweed quality and cost of production, commercial-scale viability, QA/QC methodology). Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits, Metabolic diseases. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet, Safety. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, GreenFeed system, Batch, and continuous culture. Contact Person: Dr. Rob Kinley.
  • DúlaBio, Research Description: Methane reduction in livestock with Irish seaweed. Animal Health and Productivity: Production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet, Safety. Contact Person: Danielle Gallagher.
  • FAO, Research Description: Boosting uptake of latest research and novel practices on animal feeding through the FAO LEAP Partnership. Contact Person: Dr. Camillo De Camillis.
  • Ghent University, Research Description: Seaweed biology, cultivation, chemical content. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds. Contact Person: Dr. Olivier De Clerck.
  • Greener Grazing, Research Description: Investigating the potential to farm Asparagopsis taxiformis in the ocean, while mastering the production of seedlings onshore. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds. Contact Person: Dr. Leonardo Mata.
  • Ocean Era, Inc. & National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Research Description: Using the Kyphosid (rudderfish) microbiome as a biological model for biodigestion of macroalgae biomass, with more digestible feedstock as one target outcome and the potential to lead to feed additives. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth traits. Seaweed Analytics: Health, Base diet. Contact Person: Dr. Lieve Laurens, Dr. Simona Augyte, Neil Anthony Sims (PI).
  • Primary Ocean, Research Description: Investigating the market demand for seaweed animal health products. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet, Safety. Contact Person: Brandon S Barney.
  •  Primary Ocean, Research Description: Focused on the environmental impacts of seaweed as animal feed in systems that are not "livestock," so chickens, pigs, aquaculture-raised fish. Also looking at the genetic, metabolomic and proteomic dimensions of seaweed ecosystems since much of the primary productivity of a giant kelp forest is due to complex interactions between giant kelp, marine fungi, microorganisms and more. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth traits. Contact Person: Brandon S Barney.
  • Queen's University Belfast, Research Description: Investigating the effect of using seaweeds to 1) reduce methane emissions from dairy cows 2) improve the iodine level of milk 3) reduce ammonia emissions 4) improve protein utilization. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, In vitro gas production system. Contact Person: Dr. Katerina Theodoridou, Dr. Maria Hayes (PI).
  • Queen's University Belfast, Research Description: Investigating the seasonal variation in the nutritional composition of four Northern Irish brown seaweeds. Seaweed Analytics: Base diet. Contact Person: Dr. Katerina Theodoridou.
  • Queen's University Belfast, Research Description: Investigating preservation methods for seaweed. Seaweed Analytics: Health, Base diet. Contact Person: Dr. Katerina Theodoridou.
  • Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Research Description: Team working to optimize growth and bioactive compound concentration in Asparagopsis taxiformis with the goal of building pilot and commercial-scale cultivation in the US. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Safety. Contact Person: Dr. Jennifer Smith.
  • Sea Forest, James Cook University, Research Description: Engaged in advanced stages of R&D and scaling of land and marine-based farming, processing, and supply of Asparagopsis for inclusion as a feed supplement for ruminants. Working with industry partner trials to address residues in meat and milk products and validating productivity gains at commercial scale in commercial feed systems. With collaborators, quantifying mitigating effects on the production of methane and any concomitant effects. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Safety. Contact Person: Sam Elsom, Dr. Rocky de Nys (PI).
  • Seadling, Research Description: Developing fermentation techniques to enhance seaweed for animal feed. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth traits. Seaweed Analytics: Health. Contact Person: Simon Davis.
  • SINTEF, Research Description: Characterization and processing of seaweed and seaweed components for new applications. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Safety, Polysaccharides. Contact Person: Inga Marie Aasen.
  • Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Research Description: Collaborating with projects aiming to identify local seaweeds having potential to reduce methane emission in dairy cows. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: GreenFeed system, In vitro gas production system. Contact Person: Dr. Mohammad Ramin
  • Symbrosia, Research Description: Researching the macroalgae Asparagopsis taxiformis as a livestock feed additive for methane reduction. A commercial trial has been completed on a sheep farm. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits, Reproductive success, Mastitis. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Modeling, Methane laser mini. Contact Person: Alexia Akbay
  • Teagasc Food Research Centre, Research Description: PI and coordinator of the ERA-NET EU funded project Seasolutions - Mitigation of GHGs using seaweeds in pasture fed sheep, cattle, and dairy cows. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, GreenFeed system, In vitro gas production system. Contact Person: Dr. Maria Hayes
  • Teagasc Food Research Centre, Research Description: Project funded by the Irish Government called MethAbate looking for innovative and novel technologies to reduce methane emissions from pasture-based agriculture. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Base diet. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, GreenFeed system. Contact Person: Dr. Maria Hayes
  • The Seaweed Company, Research Description: Investigating the use of proprietary seaweed blends to improve welfare, health, and performance of livestock animals. Methane reduction in cattle is within the scope, but sustainable agriculture is seen as much broader. Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits, Reproductive success, Mastitis, Respiratory and metabolic diseases. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet, Safety. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: GreenFeed system. Contact Person: Dr. Hilde Vrancken, Dr. Stefan Kraan
  • University of California Davis, Research Description: Investigating the impact on methane emissions from feeding Asparagopsis to dairy and beef cows. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: GreenFeed system, Modeling. Contact Person: Dr. Ermias Kebreab
  • University of California Davis, Research Description: Investigating molecular mechanisms involved in the methane mitigating effect of seaweed with particular focus on changes in function/metabolism of the rumen microbiome. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, GreenFeed system. Contact Person: Dr. Matthias Hess
  • University of Copenhagen, Research Description: Investigating 1) the use of minerals from fermented seaweed for calves 2) seaweed degradation and products of fermentation 3) dose response of seaweed derivatives.  Animal Health and Productivity: Growth traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: In-vitro dose response. Contact Person: Dr. Hanne Helene Hansen
  • University of Vermont, Research Description: Impact of seaweed on rumen function using bioreactors. Contact Person: Dr. Sabrina Greenwood, Dr. Nichole Price (PI)
  • University of Waikato, Research Description: Researching cultivation methods for Asparagopsis armata. Contact Person: Dr. Marie Magnusson
  • University of Waikato, Research Description: Identifying European seaweed with anti-methanogenic properties, in collaboration with Aarhus University, Denmark. Project is called Climate Feed. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds. Contact Person: Dr. Marie Magnusson
  • USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Research Description: Evaluating the effect of a seaweed on lactation performance, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestion, and gas emissions in dairy cow diets. Animal Health and Productivity: Production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Health, Base diet. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber. Contact Person: Dr. Kenneth Kalscheur
  • USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Research Description: Evaluating 27 selections of macroalgae harvested along the California coast as feed additives for methane mitigation. Animal Health and Productivity: Production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, GreenFeed system. Contact Person: Dr. Stacey Gunter
  • USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Research Description: Investigating the effect of Asparagopsis taxiformis on methane production in continuous culture fermenters with forage-based diets and in conjunction with other algae materials (e.g., Ascophyllum nodosum). Animal Health and Productivity: Growth and production traits. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Gas analysis via FTIR analyzer. 
  • Washington State University, Research Description: Investigating manure emissions with seaweed as a treatment. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Respiration chamber, F6 tracer method. Contact Person: Dr. Kristen Johnson
  • Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, Research Description: Investigating the impacts of a dietary seaweed supplement on enteric methane emissions for organic dairy cows. Animal Health and Productivity: Production traits. Seaweed Analytics: Bioactive compounds, Health, Base diet. Contact Person: Leah Puro, Dr. Nichole Price (PI)