3 ms·

It's because the seaweed contains bromoform, which inhibits methanogenic reactions in bacteria: https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/feeding-seaweed-to

It's because the seaweed contains bromoform, which inhibits methanogenic reactions in bacteria: https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/feeding-seaweed-to-cows-could-curb-their-methane-laden-burps https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/feeding-seaweed... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5270371/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5270371/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromoform https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromoform It would be easier to add small quantities of industrially produced bromoform to cattle feed than to cultivate enough seaweed to get the same effects. However, the sort of producers who cater to environmentally conscious meat consumers may want to be able to tout "seaweed dietary additive" rather than "bromoform dietary additive" in packaging and promotional material. Also there may be regulatory barriers to adding pure bromoform. AFAIK there are few regulations on introducing new plants into cows' diet, but pure chemicals may be regulated. Even if the only reason to add certain plants is to add chemicals into their diet.

the8472 6y ago
> It would be easier to add small quantities of industrially produced bromoform to cattle feed than to cultivate enough seaweed to get the same effects. If I recall correctly there are two issues with that a) bromoform itself is a GHG, you don't want to create more of it that gets released into the environment and use natural sources instead b) the researchers tried this and at least simple additives didn't have the same effect, perhaps it has something to do with how it gets released during digestion
- philipkglass 6y ago
  If you had a link confirming B, I would be interested. To the first point: more bromoform will also be released in the environment if we deliberately cultivate large quantities of the kelp that produce it. A quick search doesn't show it as a greenhouse gas. It can deplete stratospheric ozone, but it is very short lived in the atmosphere.
  - the8472 6y ago
    https://sci-hub.tw/10.1071/AN15576 https://sci-hub.tw/10.1071/AN15576 page 6 They're citing prior research showing declining efficiency of bromochloromethane additives "due to ruminal flow" while not observing that in their research using seaweed. But it's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison since one was an in vivo and the other an in vitro study. So I may have overstated the impact. > A quick search doesn't show it as a greenhouse gas. It can deplete stratospheric ozone, but it is very short lived in the atmosphere. Looks like you're right, I must have confused it with some other bromide.

the8472 6y ago

> It would be easier to add small quantities of industrially produced bromoform to cattle feed than to cultivate enough seaweed to get the same effects. If I recall correctly there are two issues with that a) bromoform itself is a GHG, you don't want to create more of it that gets released into the environment and use natural sources instead b) the researchers tried this and at least simple additives didn't have the same effect, perhaps it has something to do with how it gets released during digestion

philipkglass 6y ago
If you had a link confirming B, I would be interested. To the first point: more bromoform will also be released in the environment if we deliberately cultivate large quantities of the kelp that produce it. A quick search doesn't show it as a greenhouse gas. It can deplete stratospheric ozone, but it is very short lived in the atmosphere.
- the8472 6y ago
  https://sci-hub.tw/10.1071/AN15576 https://sci-hub.tw/10.1071/AN15576 page 6 They're citing prior research showing declining efficiency of bromochloromethane additives "due to ruminal flow" while not observing that in their research using seaweed. But it's a bit of an apples to oranges comparison since one was an in vivo and the other an in vitro study. So I may have overstated the impact. > A quick search doesn't show it as a greenhouse gas. It can deplete stratospheric ozone, but it is very short lived in the atmosphere. Looks like you're right, I must have confused it with some other bromide.