A new study has found that using whole Asparagopsis seaweed as a cattle feed additive is significantly more effective at reducing methane emissions than using bromoform, the primary active compound in the seaweed, on its own. The study, published in Animal Feed Science and Technology, provides strong validation for CH4 Global’s approach to harnessing the natural power of Asparagopsis to reduce the climate impact of cattle farming.
The study, conducted by researchers at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan, compared the methane reduction potential of whole Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed to pure bromoform when used as feed additives for cattle. The results showed that whole dried Asparagopsis reduced methane emissions by 95.6% when included at 0.5% of the diet, compared to a 59.6% reduction from an equivalent dose of bromoform.
The study’s lead researcher, Dr. Eslam K. Ahmed, emphasized the significance of the findings: “Our study demonstrates the superior efficacy of whole Asparagopsis seaweed compared to isolated bromoform in mitigating methane emissions from cattle. This reinforces the value of harnessing the full spectrum of bioactive compounds naturally present in the seaweed to reduce enteric methane.”
CH4 Global’s CEO, Steve Meller, noted that the study’s findings have important implications for the company’s commercial production and distribution of an Asparagopsis-based feed additive. “The results of this study validate the performance advantage of whole natural Asparagopsis over synthetic compounds and underscore the cost-effectiveness of our solution. Using whole Asparagopsis allows us to achieve superior methane reduction with a lower dose, making Methane Tamer an economically viable option for farmers.”
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period. With livestock farming responsible for at least 30% of human-driven methane emissions globally, solutions like CH4 Global’s are critical in the fight against climate change.The full study is available online and was the result of collaborative research work between CH4 Global and Dr. Ahmed’s laboratory.
