FutureFeed is a ruminant livestock feed ingredient based on seaweed that can reduce methane emissions, established by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). FutureFeed holds the global intellectual property to use the seaweed Asparagopsis for livestock feed. Lowered methane emissions can be achieved by the addition of a small amount of the seaweed into the daily diet of livestock. This discovery was made by a team of scientists from CSIRO and James Cook University (JCU), supported by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), who came together in 2013 to investigate the methane reduction potential of various native Australian seaweeds. Asparagopsis is a genus of red algae, endemic in many parts of the world including Australia. The seaweed has proven to be the most efficient natural supplement available for lowering methane from ruminant livestock. It also has feed efficiency benefits. The active ingredient in seaweed is bromoform, which inhibits a key enzyme for methanogenesis.
History Cattle and sheep have long been known to voluntarily consume seaweed in variable amounts if they have access. Historical evidence suggests that farmers in Ancient Greece deliberately grazed cattle near beaches as a result of the productivity benefits it provided. This was also the case for Icelandic farmers in the 18th century. FutureFeed's Chief Scientist Rob Kinley had a "lightbulb moment" in Canada in the early 2000's, where a Canadian dairy farmer, Joe Dorgan, had been allowing his dairy cows access to stormtoss seaweed that appeared naturally on his property. He reported consistent improvements in animal performance. Dorgan desired to commercialise this concept, but regulations required it be scientifically tested first. Kinley and Professor Alan Freeden were recruited by Dorgan to perform official testing on the nutritional data of this seaweed and to quantify the effects it had on cattle health. Dorgan intended to harvest and sell seaweed as an organic alternative to conventional supplements. However, further testing revealed its ability to reduce methane emissions of livestock. Kinley discovered that this particular form of seaweed was capable of reducing methane production in cattle by up to 20%. Following this discovery, Kinley moved to Australia to partner with CSIRO and James Cook University (JCU) to conduct further testing. A research team at JCU had previously studied the effects of algal feed additives on livestock production systems as part of the Centre for Macroalgal Resources and Biotechnology (MACRO). This collaboration provided the foundations for FutureFeed's commercial application of this research.
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