Dr. Frank Mitloehner:

Apologies. We have done research on approximately 30 different feed additives, of which red seaweed is one. It is not a seaweed that is found on the Irish coast; it is a subtropical seaweed from the Australian coast. It contains an active ingredient named bromoform that strongly reduces enteric methane. It is not the only feed additive that works along those lines of disrupting the enzymatic production of methane in the rumen but it is one of them. We are working diligently to find out what kind of active ingredients in what kind of feed additive can have similar effects. It has been shown in dozens of publications that seaweed or 3-NOP can reduce enteric methane, which is the main methane source of Irish agriculture, by between 20% and more than 60%. If one goes too high with the reductions, that might affect performance. However, sizeable reductions can be attained. The question is how to introduce a feed additive into a herd that is largely pasture-based. Ireland has many first-class scientists and that should not be too difficult a question for them to investigate.