According to a recent study conducted by CH4 Global and Dr. Eslam K. Ahmed’s laboratory, whole Asparagopsis seaweed is much more effective than bromoform alone in reducing cattle methane emissions.
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 aquatic plant’s primary active compound, on its own. The study allegedly provides strong validation for the approach taken by CH4 Global, a company that aims to scale commercial production and distribution of an Asparagopsis-based feed additive as a natural solution for shrinking the climate impact of cattle farming.
The peer-reviewed, in vitro study, published in Animal Feed Science and Technology, compared the methane reduction potential of whole Asparagopsis taxiformis seaweed to pure bromoform when used as feed additives for cattle. The results showed that the whole, dried seaweed 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. This reportedly suggests that while bromoform is the primary active compound in Asparagopsis responsible for methane reduction, other bioactive compounds in the seaweed play a significant role, accounting for approximately 40% of the total reduction effect.
“Our findings demonstrate the superior efficacy of whole Asparagopsis seaweed compared to isolated bromoform in mitigating methane emissions from cattle,” said Dr. Eslam K. Ahmed of Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Japan, the study’s lead researcher. “This reinforces the value of harnessing the full spectrum of bioactive compounds naturally present in the seaweed to reduce enteric methane.”
CH4 Global explained that its flagship product, Methane Tamer™, uses whole dried Asparagopsis seaweed to sharply reduce enteric methane emissions in cattle. Steve Meller, CEO of CH4 Global stated that the new study underscores the importance of the company’s approach, particularly as beef and dairy producers consider different options – some of which rely solely on bromoform or synthetic chemicals – to shrink their carbon footprints.
“The results of this study have important implications as CH4 Global continues scaling Methane Tamer for our commercial partners,” Meller pointed out. “Not only do they validate the performance advantage of whole natural Asparagopsis over synthetic compounds, but they also 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, particularly cattle and sheep production, responsible for at least 30% of human-driven methane emissions globally, solutions like the one offered by CH4 Global are critical in the fight against climate change, according to the announcement.
The study was the result of collaborative research work between CH4 Global and Dr. Ahmed’s laboratory.
