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Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

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Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#161

Post by belorn »

wwweston wrote: post #98
goodalgae wrote: post #26

My company is currently working to grow Asparagopsis Taxiformis, here in the US, for this purpose. I agree with comments that we have big issues to tackle in regards to methane sinks failing, such as permafrost, and there are things to be said about people moving en masse to plant based diets – but, the future will always be a mix of tomorrow and today. Many people will still eat beef, and we need to ensure we reduce…

> early indications in research of some amazing additional benefits – improved milk production, increased immunity, improved food conversion ratio What are the chances the gains here might be on the order where we could stop dosing cattle with antibiotics?

Antibiotics in farming is used in order to keep animals in a environment where if it wasn't for the antibiotics they would get sick.

Factory farms, or concentrated animal feeding operation as it are sometimes called, are crowded and stressful for the animal. Hygiene, temperature and ventilation are often bad. In combination this create a environment where sickness is rampant and currently antibiotics is the primary tool to keeps it functioning enough to be profitable. Seaweed is extremely unlikely to replace antibiotics in those kind of operations.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#162

Post by croo »

hombre_fatal wrote: post #64
kibibu wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cows are much better at extracting nutrients from, say, grass than humans are. In places where nuts, vegetables, fruits aren't available, meat may be a more environmentally friendly choice.

But almost nobody is eating pasture-raised meat, though the industrial meat complex loves that you think that or are pointing it out as if that's how beef is made.

If you travel through Austria you will find herds of cattle on every pasture cutting the grass instead of machines. From what I've heard cattle farming in the US is different.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#163

Post by DoreenMichele »

tapland wrote: post #156
DoreenMichele wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But it's a proxy for inferring reduced gut distress. So it's not an unreasonable thing to wonder about.

Is it actually or is it just not liking farts and rationalizing reducing them?

I have a serious medical condition that significantly impacts the gut. Worse gas corresponds to more gut issues.

Everything I've read (or heard from other people) suggests it is not just me, that this principle generalizes.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#165

Post by xanipher »

benj111 wrote: post #155
solveit wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically none. We will continue to dose cattle with antibiotics as long as there is additional gain from doing so, regardless of how profitable cattle without antibiotics are.

So you're saying if farming antibiotic free cattle is twice as profitable as today, and farming antibiotic cattle is loss making, farmers are still going to farm antibiotic cattle? You know farms are businesses, they are motivated by money.

No, what they are saying is that cows fed with seaweed AND antibiotics are still more profitable than cows fed only with seaweed.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#166

Post by benj111 »

barry-cotter wrote: post #148
sk5t wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You should probably aim for one visit to Wendy's or McD's a week... or one a month... or one a quarter. What you're doing now is like rationalizing vodka over beer.

This is wrong. A burger is bread, meat and vegetables, maybe with some cheese or another meat. Between carbohydrates, protein and some vegetables an all burger diet is unlikely to lead to any noticeable health effects compared to a normal Western diet. Fries are vastly worse for you than burgers or pizza, whether you’re looking at macronutrients alone or tracking vitamins and minerals as well. http://www.businesspund…

A burger doesn't have enough veg for a healthy diet, I'd be amazed if its better than the average western diet.

I'm thinking a generic McDonalds burger here with a wilted piece of lettuce, a slice of tomato and some gherkins. You could probably construct a healthy veg burger, I have no idea where you'd buy one. Something like subway seems like a better bet.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#167

Post by pweezy »

muzakthings wrote: post #149
goodalgae wrote: post #26

My company is currently working to grow Asparagopsis Taxiformis, here in the US, for this purpose. I agree with comments that we have big issues to tackle in regards to methane sinks failing, such as permafrost, and there are things to be said about people moving en masse to plant based diets – but, the future will always be a mix of tomorrow and today. Many people will still eat beef, and we need to ensure we reduce…

this is super cool. do you think the primary demand driver for your sales will be 1) gov't mandates, or 2) cattle farmers wanting to differentiate their meat to eco-conscious customers / retailers? just curious about how you see the market.

> we are seeing early indications in research of some amazing additional benefits – improved milk production, increased immunity, improved food conversion ratio (meaning you can feed cattle less and have them pack on more protein)

These "additional benefits" are all things that would increase profit - reduced loss of output from sickness; increased production; reduced feed consumption.

If the seaweed is cheap enough, it could be worth it for farmers to use without additional incentives. Though, they would also get green cred "for free."

Edit: fix typos

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#168

Post by Hnrobert42 »

belorn wrote: post #161
wwweston wrote: post #98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> early indications in research of some amazing additional benefits – improved milk production, increased immunity, improved food conversion ratio What are the chances the gains here might be on the order where we could stop dosing cattle with antibiotics?

Antibiotics in farming is used in order to keep animals in a environment where if it wasn't for the antibiotics they would get sick. Factory farms, or concentrated animal feeding operation as it are sometimes called, are crowded and stressful for the animal. Hygiene, temperature and ventilation are often bad. In combination this create a environment where sickness is rampant and currently antibiotics is the primary t…

I thought it was also because corn-based diets increases likelihood of stomach ulcers in cows. The antibiotics fight the h.pylori bacteria which causes the ulcers.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#169

Post by xanipher »

croo wrote: post #162
hombre_fatal wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But almost nobody is eating pasture-raised meat, though the industrial meat complex loves that you think that or are pointing it out as if that's how beef is made.

If you travel through Austria you will find herds of cattle on every pasture cutting the grass instead of machines. From what I've heard cattle farming in the US is different.

Yeah, but farming in general is different in Austria, just look at the rates of e.g. cage eggs in the US, where 95% are caged. Plus even in Austria you have to watch out, a lot of the cheaper meat is from large German farms with similar conditions.

Re: Tasty Seaweed Reduces Cows’ Methane Emissions by 99%

#170

Post by belorn »

alphakappa wrote: post #3

There are many planet saving discoveries like these. There's also a catch, which is why the planet hasn't been saved yet. > “If we’re able to work out how to scale up the seaweed to such a level to that can feed all of the cows and the sheep and the goats around the world, then it’s going to have a huge impact on the climate; And there you go. That's the hard part that you cannot just hand-wave away. You also have to…

Scaling is a pretty common objection in this kind of articles but I have a hard time understanding the reasoning for it. Scaling is always an issue regardless of what the new technology is so the question is then if there is specific reasons to doubt that scaling can not be solved.

To compare two different tactics to reduce global warming, electric cars and seaweed for cows. It sound as a much easier job to grow seaweed compared to the electrification of the transport sector by scaling up electric engines and battery production, and we (as a human species) are pretty sure the later will happen regardless because we can't continue to burn fossil fuels.

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