Mr. Bill Callanan:

To be clear to the Deputy, we are not holding out for a silver bullet. That would be a misrepresentation of what is needed at individual farm level in order to change practice, etc. If we look at our overall strategy, there are many actions we can take, including, for example, reducing the use of fertiliser and changing fertiliser types for the remainder, engaging in the earlier slaughter of animals and looking at how to deliver breeding strategies. Feeding is just one component.

It would be wrong to suggest that we are holding out, particularly with regard to seaweed. The Deputy is entirely correct to say that there are implications in terms of the level or suggested volumes of seaweed that would be necessary. Seaweed is only one component of those feed additives. Everybody is investigating a whole raft of them even from, believe it or not, olive residues as a surfactant that reduces mutagenesis within the rumen. Therefore, it is including commercial products like 3-NOP, which would be commercially produceable, rather than depending on the biological system of seaweed. There is research in terms of seaweed. There are also surfactants in oils, etc. A combination of elements is being looked at. It is not that seaweed is being relied upon as a silver bullet. I want to make sure that everybody understands that it is a series of individual actions. Cumulatively, these will add up to what the requirements are in terms of the commitments to meet our numbers.