Call for more work on cows’ seaweed diet

Sweden is a step closer to the widespread introduction of methane-reducing cow feed additives such as seaweed, after experts called for further investigation into the area.

A report by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency into reduced methane emissions, says development in the field has been “rapid in recent years” and is among “a number of new interesting additives with higher potential”.

Among the cow feed additives cited in the report are the seaweed red algae and the chemical 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP).

According to manufacturers, the daily feeding of red algae can reduce the methane emissions of meat animals by up to 90 per cent.

However, the Agency said more knowledge on cultivation and use was needed.

The 3-NOP chemical, which has been fed to several cattle categories in Sweden and elsewhere, has been approved for use in dairy cows in the European Union since February 2022.

The report says it can cut methane emissions by an average of about 30 per cent in dairy cows and by 45 per cent in meat cattle.

The Swedish work builds on research into the effects of feeding seaweed to cattle in Australia, the aim of which was to prevent microorganisms in the cow’s first stomach from producing methane.

However, the Australian research produced mixed results with the main drawback being that cattle fed the seaweed diet ate less and therefore produced less meat when sent to slaughter.

The Swedish Agency said that while some feed additives “appear to have significant potential”, it warned there is still uncertainty over the long-term effects.

“More research and analysis is required, both in terms of today’s marketed products and the development of alternative, future feed additives,” the Agency’s report says.

It proposes that the Government commission the Agency, along with other authorities, to further investigate the area.

Lines of inquiry, it says, should include socioeconomic impact, support for farmers and other stages in the food chain, improved research, innovation initiatives and increased collaboration with the industry.

Other potential areas of investigation for climate-smart cows, it says, are enhancing productivity and genetic variations between breeds on how much methane they produce.

In 2021, Sweden’s agricultural sector produced 3.6 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalents of methane — 2.9 million tonnes of which were produced by cattle digestion.

Chief Executive of Volta Greentech, Fredrik Akerman said his company was developing a seaweed factory on the west coast of Sweden that would specialise in cattle feed.

Mr Akerman said Volta Greentech had run pilot projects across two Swedish farms which had reduced cows’ methane emissions by 80 per cent a day.

The company is now planning another pilot study at a commercial beef farm in the United Kingdom.

By installing sensors on the farms, Volta Greentech was able to measure methane emissions before and after the introduction of the feed.

Mr Akerman said the Environmental Protection Agency’s recommendations were important for the industry’s development.

“It’s quite difficult for us to sell a product that costs money to reduce emissions if the incentives are not there,” he said.