FutureFeed is a ruminant livestock feed ingredient based on seaweed that can reduce methane emissions, established by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).

[1] This discovery was made by a team of scientists from CSIRO and James Cook University (JCU), supported by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), who came together in 2013 to investigate the methane reduction potential of various native Australian seaweeds.

Historical evidence suggests that farmers in Ancient Greece deliberately grazed cattle near beaches as a result of the productivity benefits it provided.

Kinley and Professor Alan Freeden were recruited by Dorgan to perform official testing on the nutritional data of this seaweed and to quantify the effects it had 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 of livestock.

[5] Following this discovery, Kinley moved to Australia to partner with CSIRO and James Cook University (JCU) to conduct further testing.

A research team at JCU, including Professor Rocky De Nys, had previously studied the effects of algal feed additives on livestock production systems as part of the Centre for Macroalgal Resources and Biotechnology (MACRO).

In 2013, Rocky De Nys and his team at JCU along with CSIRO performed in vitro tests on 30 tropical macroalgae species using an artificial cow stomach.

All seaweed species were shown to reduce methane emissions in some capacity with a 50% average reduction, however this required dosages as much as 20% of dietary intake.

This was problematic as the high concentrations required would most likely cause digestion issues for livestock by reducing the volume of volatile fatty acids.

Varying concentrations of Asparagopsis taxiformis were mixed with low quality Rhodes grass and examined using standardised in vitro culture methods.

The optimum concentration was determined to be 2%, as it virtually eliminated methane production and reduced the volume of total gases produced by 30% without affecting fermentation efficiency.

[12] In 2021 sensory testing showed high meat-eating quality and celebrity chef Matt Moran cooked the world’s first low-methane steaks.

[13] The first licences were also granted by FutureFeed to companies in USA and Australia to cultivate and process Asparagopsis into a livestock feed product.

FutureFeed also added a patent for preparing Asparagopsis in an oil composition and won the Australian Financial Review’s Sustainability Leaders Award in the Agriculture and Environment category.

[16] Asparagopsis seaweed naturally contains halogenated methane analogues, mainly bromoform (CHBr3) at 1.7% dry weight, as a form of antibacterial defense.

Asparagopsis taxiformis thrives in tropical and subtropical climates and can be found in Australian coastal waters, predominantly in northern Queensland and Western Australia.