What a gas: Seaweed diet to cut cow emissions

The Federal Government is pumping more money into an Australian seaweed product that can help cut cows’ greenhouse emissions. It comes as a series of famous Aussies invest in the company that makes it.

A seafood diet could be the key to saving the planet through a product pegged to clean up cattle’s gas and almost entirely stop their methane “emissions’’.

The Morrison Government is granting $1 million to Sea Forest to scale up production of its seaweed-based additive for cattle feed, which can cut a cow’s greenhouse gas by 99 per cent.

The breaking story could be a game-changer for Queensland, which has more than 11 per cent of the state’s emissions come from beef livestock, as well as the nation’s path to net-zero emissions.

Commercial scale seaweed production could fast track Australia’s net zero emissions and reduce cows’ methane by 99 per cent. Picture: Supplied by Sea Forest

Early investors in the company include legendary surfer Mick Fanning, as well as author Zoe Foster-Blake, whose bibliography includes No One Likes a Fart.

Sea Forest co-founder Sam Elsom said compound in the Asparagopsis seaweed, native to Australia, interacted with an enzyme to inhibit the production of methane within the cow that would normally take place.

“It gets disrupted and it becomes energy and the animal uses that energy,” he said.

“It means the animal grows faster. They will get to desired weight sooner, in less time with less food.

“The seaweed pays for itself.”

He said just 0.2 per cent of the seaweed additive was needed in the feed, while it could improve productivity gains by 20 per cent.

Sea Forest farms the Asparagopsis seaweed in its facility in Tasmania.

The idea for the product came after a discussion with the Climate Council’s Tim Flannery and was developed over five years with the CSIRO.

Sea Forest co-founder Sam Elsom.

He said the grant from the government would allow Sea Forest to increase production to 1000 tonnes a year, enough to feed up to 200,000 head of cattle per year.

“It’s the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road,” Mr Elsom said.

Industry Minister Karen Andrews said Accelerating Commercialisation grant was part of a scheme to help businesses scale-up there ideas.

“Through this latest funding, we’re backing projects that will improve agricultural processes and reduce greenhouse emissions, all while growing a developing industry that will create jobs,” she said.

“Not only do these business ideas strengthen our economy, they are examples of Australian ingenuity helping make the world a better place.”

Mr Elsom said as well as reducing the cows’ emissions, seaweed was effective as a means of carbon capture and increasing oxygen production, so it had multiple environmental benefits.