How can cows’ burps be so bad for the environment?

Well, it’s because each cow produces about 220 pounds of methane gas annually, says University of Minnesota College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences professor Brad Heins, PhD. (By contrast, humans on average produce about 15 grams of methane through their breath every year.)

It’s just a normal part of cows’ digestive process, but it makes cattle the No. 1 agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide.

So backed by donor support, Heins and his colleagues at the West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, Minnesota, are working with researchers, farmers and industry leaders on a promising approach to reducing methane production in livestock: adding a little red seaweed to their food. And their studies are showing impressive results.

Can a cow’s diet alone change its methane production?

Cows are typically fed a corn-based diet or grass-based diet. Grass-fed cows produce less methane, but they also produce less milk. So we cannot look at methane production in isolation from everything else. We also need to look at milk production, animal body weight, etc.

What is really exciting about red seaweed is that it has been shown to reduce methane production without any noticeable reduction in milk output or change in taste.

Why red seaweed?

In 2023, we partnered with a clean energy startup called Symbrosia and introduced Hawaiian red seaweed to the diets of dairy cattle. That first study lasted six months, about three times longer than most methane studies. What we found was that introducing just one ounce of red seaweed to their daily diets reduced their methane production by 30-40%.

It took a little bit of work to make sure the cows would eat the seaweed, since it’s not a natural part of their diets, but once they were consuming it regularly, we saw really promising results.

What kind of impact could this research have on the sustainability of the livestock industry?

This has the potential to transform the agriculture industry at large. I’m really proud that our research won the Organic Center’s award for “Most Impactful Research Finding” last year.

Now the question is, could we reduce methane production by even more, say 70-80%, by increasing the amount of red seaweed a cow consumes?

This research could have a dramatic impact on reducing the greenhouse gas contributions of the agriculture and livestock industries, especially if it is adopted by farmers across the country and world.

How has philanthropic funding made a difference in your work?

Flexible funding from donors helps us step outside the box and explore exciting new research avenues we would otherwise not have the ability to explore. It helps us to research things that farmers are asking for, methods that haven’t yet been tried and generally have more freedom in the research we pursue. Donors are really essential to our ability to innovate.

To support Heins’ work, make a gift to the Organic Dairy Program at the UMN West Central Research and Outreach Center.