Scientists find feeding grazing cattle seaweed cuts methane emissions

Dec 2

Listen

Jack Aylmer Anchor

By Jack Aylmer (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Harry Fogle (Video Editor)

Is seaweed the answer to more climate-friendly cattle farming? A new study revealed feeding cows the ocean delicacy could cut the animals’ methane emissions by almost 40%.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

Researchers at University of California Davis found that giving grazing beef cattle seaweed pellets contributed to the plunge in emissions without impacting the health and weight of the cows.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

They divided 24 beef steers into groups, one that got the supplement and one that didn’t, conducting the experiment over 10 weeks in Montana.

Scientists discovered a 37.7% drop in methane emissions from the supplement group.

Livestock make up 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with the largest portion coming from when they burp.

Researchers said grazing cows produce more methane than feedlot or dairy cows because they consume more fiber from grass.

Previous studies show seaweed cut methane emissions more than 50% in dairy cows and 82% in feedlot cattle.

However, this is the first study in the world to test seaweed on grazing beef cattle.

Researchers said the study results show the importance of making seaweed more accessible to grazing cattle to make the industry more sustainable while still meeting the global demand for meat.

Tags: cattle, Climate Change, cows, Methane emissions, Montana, Research, Study

[Jack]

IS SEAWEED THE ANSWER TO MORE CLIMATE-FRIENDLY CATTLE FARMING?

A NEW STUDY REVEALS FEEDING COWS THE OCEAN DELICACY COULD CUT THE ANIMALS’ METHANE EMISSIONS BY ALMOST 40 PERCENT.

RESEARCHERS AT UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS FOUND THAT GIVING GRAZING BEEF CATTLE SEAWEED PELLETS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PLUNGE IN EMISSIONS WITHOUT IMPACTING THE HEALTH AND WEIGHT OF THE COWS.

THEY DIVIDED 24 BEEF STEERS INTO GROUPS – ONE THAT GOT THE SUPPLEMENT AND ONE THAT DIDN’T … CONDUCTING THE EXPERIMENT OVER 10 WEEKS IN MONTANA.

SCIENTISTS DISCOVERED A 37-POINT-7 PERCENT DROP IN METHANE EMISSIONS FROM THE SUPPLEMENT GROUP.

LIVESTOCK MAKE UP 14-POINT-5 PERCENT OF GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS … WITH THE LARGEST PORTION COMING FROM WHEN THEY BURP.

RESEARCHERS SAY GRAZING COWS PRODUCE MORE METHANE THAN FEEDLOT OR DAIRY COWS BECAUSE THEY CONSUME MORE FIBER FROM GRASS.

PREVIOUS STUDIES SHOW SEAWEED CUT METHANE EMISSIONS MORE THAN 50 PERCENT IN DAIRY COWS… AND 82 PERCENT IN FEEDLOT CATTLE.

HOWEVER, THIS IS THE FIRST STUDY IN THE WORLD TO TEST SEAWEED ON GRAZING BEEF CATTLE.

RESEARCHERS SAY THE STUDY RESULTS SHOW THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SEAWEED MORE ACCESSIBLE TO GRAZING CATTLE TO MAKE THE INDUSTRY MORE SUSTAINABLE WHILE STILL MEETING THE GLOBAL DEMAND FOR MEAT.

FOR SAN – I’M JACK AYLMER.

FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.