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FutureFeed is a seaweed-based feed additive for livestock that is currently being researched and developed by a dedicated team from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The primary component of FutureFeed is dried Asparagopsis, a genus of red algae, which has been shown to reduce the methane emissions of ruminant livestock by up to 99%. It is added to fodder in dosages of 1-2% dietary intake to achieve this result. FutureFeed is currently being developed in collaboration with James Cook University (JCU) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), with the primary goal of scaling for mainstream commercial use.

History
There is evidence that farmers in Ancient Greece (approximately 100BC) deliberately grazed cattle near beaches as a result of the productivity benefits it provided. This was also the case for Icelandic farmers in the 18th century.

In the early 2010s, Canadian dairy farmer Joe Dorgan noticed that cattle in paddocks adjacent to the beaches surrounding his property experienced higher levels of productivity than cattle positioned in paddocks further inland. This was observed through higher conception rates, longer periods of heat and increased milk production. It was discovered that the cattle had been eating dried kelp that had washed up on the shore.

In 2013, environmental scientists, Dr Rob Kinley and Professor Alan Freeden, were recruited by Dorgan to perform official testing on the nutritional data of kelp and the effects it has on cattle health. Dorgan intended to harvest and sell seaweed as an organic alternative to conventional supplements, however, further testing revealed its ability to reduce methane emissions from livestock. Kinley discovered that this form of kelp was capable of reducing methane production in cattle by 20%. Following this discovery, Kinley moved to Australia to partner with CSIRO and James Cook University in order to conduct further testing. Professor Rocky De Nys and his team at JCU had already been studying the effect of algal feed additives on livestock production systems as part of the Centre for Macroalgal Resources and Biotechnology (MACRO). This collaborative research formed the basis behind the concept of FutureFeed.

Research and development
In 2014, Kinley and Professor Rocky De Nys’ team at JCU performed in vitro tests on 20 different seaweed species using an artificial cow stomach. Temperature and pH was maintained to accurately simulate the fermentation process that occurs within cattle during digestion, allowing volumes of produced gases to be measured accurately. The experiment showed that the majority of seaweed species reduced methane emissions up to 50%, however they required dosages as high as 20%. This result was problematic as the high volume required would most likely cause digestion issues for cattle. Asparagopsis taxiformis proved the most promising with a measured methane reduction of over 80%. This was performed as part of the National Livestock Methane Program (NLMP), a research effort coordinated by MLA in collaboration with 16 major research organisations in Australia and funded by the Department of Agriculture. The primary goal of NLMP is to research methods of reducing methane emission and increase productivity, specifically for livestock.

In 2016, live tests were performed on sheep which were constantly monitored over a 72-day period. In dosages of 2% dietary intake, methane emission reductions of up to 85% were recorded when compared to control sheep.

As of 2017, live tests are currently being performed on cattle at the CSIRO Lansdown facility in Queensland.

Furthermore, a panel of testers were unable to discern any difference in taste between conventionally produced milk and milk produced by cattle given seaweed supplements.

Production
FutureFeed requires very little processing. It consists of whole Asparagopsis as either one of two species, Aspargopsis taxiformis or Asparagopsis armata. Both species have very similar biochemistry with the main difference being the conditions that each species flourishes in. Aspargopsis taxiformis thrives in tropical and subtropical climates and is commonly found in ocean surrounding Australia, predominantly Queensland and Western Australia. Asparagopsis armata thrives in temperate climates and is found naturally in the Mediterranean Sea and Tasman Sea. The species used will depend on the

Effect on livestock
The primary chemical in Asparagopsis inhibits methane production in livestock. Asparagopsis produces bromoform (CHBr3) during digestion, which is a compound that disrupts the reaction between enzymes and vitamin B12, a key contributor to the production of methane in ruminant stomachs. Using under 2% of dietary intake, FutureFeed is able to reduce methane production in livestock by 80-99%. Research into livestock methane production has shown that 2-10% of energy that fodder produces during digestion is lost as methane gas emissions, primarily from belching. It is a common misconception that the majority of methane emissions from livestock is due to flatulent gas. Flatulent gas only contributes to approximately 10% of methane emissions while belching makes up 90%. This is caused by bacteria living within the stomach (rumen) that assist with breaking down nutrients during digestion. This represents an inefficiency of energy conversion that would otherwise go into the development of muscle tissue. By impeding methane production, FutureFeed has potential to improve livestock productivity.

Team
The development team behind FutureFeed represents a collaboration between CSIRO, JCU and MLA. The primary team members are as follows :


 * Dr Michael Battaglia - CEO
 * Dr Rob Kinley - Technology Lead
 * Dr Ian Watson - Systems Scientist
 * Justin Harsdorf - Commercial Lead
 * Sara Wedgwood - Commercialisation Manager

Challenges
The biggest challenge facing FutureFeed at present is economic viability. As the major component of FutureFeed is Asparagopsis, its scalability is directly correlated to the volume of seaweed that can be produced. In order to become a commercial product, significant funding is required for the development of infrastructure to mass produce Asparagopsis. There is potential to import large amounts of seaweed from Asia, where infrastructure for seaweed farms is already established. Despite the small doses required, it is estimated that feeding 10% of Australia’s cattle would require 300,000 tonnes of seaweed to be produced each year, requiring over 6,000 hectares of seaweed farms.

Other research efforts
The use of Asparagopsis as a feed additive is unique to FutureFeed, however, there are numerous projects and teams currently developing seaweed-based livestock supplements and methods of seaweed production using similar research.


 * North Atlantic Organics (NAO), a Canadian company started by Joe Dorgan in 2011, sells dried Laminariaceae (Kelp) and Rockweed, labelled as Atlantic-Gro. Atlantic-Gro is marketed as an organic alternative to conventional livestock supplements. It is harvested from the shores of Prince Edward Island, Canada.
 * Symbrosia is a start-up from Yale University that is developing a low-cost, sustainable method for producing Asparagopsis taxiformis and regenerating shrimp population as a by-product.
 * Greener Grazing is a project underway by Australis Aquaculture that aims to commercially farm Asparagopsis taxiformis by 2020 . Research and development is currently being performed at facilities in Vietnam and Portugal.