from the cows-eating-sushi-is-the-end-of-the-world dept.
University of California researchers are feeding seaweed to dairy cows in an attempt to make cattle more climate-friendly.
UC Davis is studying whether adding small amounts of seaweed to cattle feed can help reduce their emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that's released when cattle burp, pass gas or make manure.
In a study this past spring, researchers found methane emissions were reduced by more than 30 percent in a dozen Holstein cows that ate the ocean algae, which was mixed into their feed and sweetened with molasses to disguise the salty taste.
Related Stories
Researchers control cattle microbiomes to reduce methane and greenhouse gases:
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researchers have learned to control the microbiome of cattle for the first time which could inhibit their methane production, and therefore reduce a major source of greenhouse gasses.
[...] The animal microbiome is a scientifically unexplored area. It protects against germs, breaks down food to release energy, and produces vitamins and exerts great control over many aspects of animal and human physical systems. Microbes are introduced at birth and produce a unique microbiome that evolves over time.
Mizrahi and his group have been conducting a three-year experiment with 50 cows divided into two groups. One group gave birth naturally, and the other through cesarean section. That difference was enough to change microbiome development and composition microbiome of the cows from each group.
Changing the birthing method changed the microbiome of the calves.
Journal Reference:
Ori Furman, Liat Shenhav, Goor Sasson, et al. Stochasticity constrained by deterministic effects of diet and age drive rumen microbiome assembly dynamics [open], Nature Communications (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15652-8)
Previously:
(2019-06-19) Seaweed Feed Additive Cuts Livestock Methane but Poses Questions
(2018-09-01) Researchers Feed Seaweed To Dairy Cows To Reduce Emissions
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @09:33AM
How does this story have to relate to stopping any trump votes?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @09:38AM
How dya like that ya cow? Swallow that salty salty... ahm oops wrong site soz
(Score: 3, Insightful) by MostCynical on Saturday September 01 2018, @10:05AM (2 children)
did it change the taste of the milk? Not sure the world is ready for "sushi milk"
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @11:03AM
Excuse me, waiter, but this steak tastes fishy...
(Score: 2) by isj on Saturday September 01 2018, @02:16PM
We have fish sauce and oyster sauce. The Romans had garum. And the poor used the sediments from that to flavor their porridge.
So fish milk? I wouldn't be surprised if someone would like that.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @11:14AM (2 children)
So... since the poor sugar industry can't peddle its products to humans anymore, we're going to hook our cattle to artificial sweeteners? Oh well, at least it'll return the use of "fat cow" to its original meaning...
(Score: 2) by takyon on Saturday September 01 2018, @11:29AM
What exactly is artificial about molasses [wikipedia.org]?
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(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @06:21PM
Molasses are already a major components of many feeds.
Molasses are cheap, readily available, generally palatable, and easily digestible. Their effect on bovine digestion is well understood.
But please, don't let me stop you making this all about your pet political hobby horse.
(Yes, I'm a farmer.)
(Score: 3, Insightful) by bzipitidoo on Saturday September 01 2018, @12:08PM
Could this lead to the next Beano kind of OTC medicinal product?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @03:45PM (2 children)
Why don't they mix it into their salt lick?
(Score: 2) by HiThere on Saturday September 01 2018, @06:34PM (1 child)
That was my thought. Of course, the purpose of the salt lick is to supply vitamins(?) and minerals that may be missing in their food, but seaweed should be good for that also. And if they're going to go to something just because it tastes salty, why would you need to disguise the taste of salt?
OTOH, my grandfather always mixed a bit of molasses into the alfalfa that he fed his dairy cattle. I don't know why. But it's worth noting that raw molasses is not only high in sugar, it's also high in various minerals (basically, everything durable that they wash out of the sugar in the process of making it white).
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 01 2018, @10:48PM
If you need it to be a regular part of the idet, blended in so that it's generally present in the rumen, then a salt lick won't do it.
Any given cow might go a week or more between significant goes at the salt lick.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday September 02 2018, @01:14AM (1 child)
It didn't work
(Score: 2) by takyon on Sunday September 02 2018, @12:43PM
Is she a cow, or merely bovine?
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