The Potential for Seaweed as Livestock Feed, Workshop Report 2020

Enteric methane emissions from ruminant animals raised for meat and milk are a significant contributor across the globe to anthropogenic climate change. Early studies suggest seaweeds offer a promising, natural approach to enteric methane mitigation. In terms of suitability for animal consumption, numerous anecdotal observations exist from different parts of the world of cows and sheep grazing on seaweed along the shoreline. However, to date limited science has emerged that conclusively demonstrates the effect of seaweed as feed, or as a feed ingredient, on animal health and well-being.

For beef and dairy farmers, it is critically important to maintain or improve animal health, performance and productivity. While feeding seaweed to cows and other ruminants may help curb methane outputs, no farmer will use seaweed as a feed ingredient if the product adversely impacts animals. As a developing area of science, many questions must be asked and answered before it is determined that seaweed-based ingredients are effective, safe, profitable, and sustainable along every step of the value chain, from ocean to farm to human consumption.

Promising new developments, combined with broad interest in this emerging area of science, prompted the need for in-depth discussions into the potential for seaweed supplements to both mitigate enteric methane and improve livestock production. Moreover, an important paper has emerged, Key Considerations for the Use of Seaweed to Reduce Enteric Methane Emissions From Cattle, which takes a comprehensive look at the issue and will be a key benchmark for work ahead.