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www.benisonmedia.com  R&D       Seaweed Oil Extract for Livestock

                                                                                 Think Grain Think Feed - Volume 10 | Issue 3 | Jan 2024





                                     Methane Reduction



                                      Symbrosia, a Hawaii-based
                                                                Symbrosia currently
                                      cleantech startup that uses   methanogenesis process.   designed to be incorporated
                                                                                         into a variety of systems.
                                      seaweed to drastically    produces a freeze-dried   "Symbrosia is leading the
                                      reduce livestock methane   product, made of        charge to find innovative
                                      emissions, is excited to   Asparagopsis taxiformis. The   solutions to reduce methane
                                      announce a study with     product reduces methane   and we wholeheartedly
                                      Cornell University's College   emissions by 70-80%.  believe in the important
                                      of Agriculture and Life   A reduction in methane   work they are doing – as
                                      Sciences (Cornell CALS),   emissions will have     seen by the 2022 funding
                                      supported by Danone North   immediate benefits for the   round for the company led
                                      America, a leading food and   climate, superior to that of   by Danone Manifesto
                                      beverage company.         carbon dioxide reduction   Ventures, Danone's venture
                                      Designed by Associate     alone, according to the   capital arm," said Chris
                                      Professor Joe McFadden, the   Intergovernmental Panel on   Adamo, vice president of
                                      study aims to prove the   Climate Change (IPCC). Dairy   public affairs & regenerative
                                      effectiveness of an       production from cattle   agriculture policy at Danone
                                      Asparagopsis-based        makes up an estimated 8%   North America. "We know
                                      seaweed oil extract for   of total human-caused    climate change at scale
                                      reducing livestock methane   methane emissions     cannot be done in isolation
                                      emissions compared to     worldwide, as part of    and we need efforts and
                                      Symbrosia's existing freeze-  agriculture and livestock   studies like this to unlock
                                      dried seaweed products.   activities which represent   new ways to make progress."
                                      Dr. Mallory Honan,        approximately 40% of global   The use of Asparagopsis-
                                      Symbrosia's product and   methane emissions.       based seaweed oil extract as
                                      animal science lead, spoke   Oil absorbs the compounds   a methane mitigator for
                                      about the thoroughness of   found in seaweed at an   livestock requires a holistic
                                      the study. "The study is more   effective rate, circumventing   scientific approach to ensure
                                      in-depth than any previous,   the need for high inputs of   sustained efficacy and
                                      accounting for animal and   energy required for drying.   safety," McFadden said. "Our
                                      human food safety,        The product in this form is   team of researchers and the
                                      energetics, manure        also anticipated to increase   recent acquisition of climate-
                                      composition, and gas      the level of bioactive   controlled respiration
                                      emissions. Additionally, it will   transference and solubility.   chambers provide us the
                                      observe unique milk       Using fresh seaweed in oil   unique opportunity to
                                      characteristics beyond    instead of freeze-dried   answer the critical questions
                                      lactose, protein, and fat,   material also maintains more   surrounding this
                                      assessing changes in the   of the important compounds   technology."
                                      complete milk fatty acid   and nutrients, as well as   The team's plan to ensure
                                      profile," explained Honan.  possibly making it more   the study's impact on the
                                      The Asparagopsis species   stable over time. Should the   environment and sustainable
                                      has been proven to reduce   study prove successful, the   agriculture is maximized. The
                                      methane emissions in      oil will be added to     study is set to begin in May
                                      ruminant species by       Symbrosia's expanding    of 2024 and will use Holstein
                                      interfering with the      portfolio of products    dairy cows.
                                                                                         Source: Danone
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