Buyers and sellers need to consider accessibility, availability, yield, transport costs, potential anti-nutritional factors or other animal health impacts, as well as feed quality. The value of crops for livestock feeds calculator was developed to help beef producers work with their neighbours to determine a value for salvaged crops.

It’s available online at the Beef Cattle Research Council blog.

The post What to consider when valuing a crop for livestock feed appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

But despite the hype, slipping a little seaweed into cattle feed is unproven science that needs more study, says one of the leading experts on the issue.

“The jury is still out,” said Karen Beauchemin, who’s been investigating the science of busting cow burps ever since it became an idea. “There needs to be a more comprehensive body of work to really establish what the safety risks are.”

The ruminant expert, who recently retired from AgCanada’s Lethbridge research station, is particularly concerned about a tropical red algae (Asparagopsis taxiformis) commonly known as red sea plume. Although studies have shown it can reduce methane in the cattle rumen by 90 per cent, there are health concerns about its active component, bromoform.

It is classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a probable human carcinogen. Although studies have determined that it doesn’t carry into human-consumed meat or milk when served in small amounts (probably less than one per cent of a cow’s diet), Beauchemin remains skeptical.

“You have to make sure it doesn’t have any carcinogenic effects to the animal but more importantly that there’s no residue in meat and milk,” she said.

Then there’s the fact that artificially growing seaweed comes with its own carbon footprint. Because harvesting seaweed from tropical waters would be staggeringly expensive, a number of startups have opted to grow it in land-based tanks. There’s a greenhouse gas tradeoff in that process, said Beauchemin.

“There are GHGs associated with the growing, the manufacturing, the harvesting and then the extracting and shipping. So you have to offset some of the decrease in methane emission with the increase in carbon dioxide emissions from the process.”

But it’s effective

However, the effectiveness of the seaweed may make the tradeoff worthwhile.

“(Red sea plume) has been shown in several studies — especially in beef animals — to be very, very effective so it could create 15 all the way up to 90 per cent reduction in methane,” she said.

“If we get that kind of methane reduction, even if it means some CO2 increase, it’s still going to mean more reduction in methane than the CO2 produced. But you do have to take that into consideration.”

Another question is whether seaweed grown in tanks would be affordable.

“It’s very expensive to grow artificially,” said Beauchemin.

More research is also needed on the long-term effects on the animals themselves.

“At this point in time there are very few larger-scale studies to say what happens to animal production when you reduce methane emissions by 60, 70, 80 or 90 per cent,” she said. “What happens to animal production? Do they continue to eat normally and produce normally?

“It’s very much still experimental.”

Still, there’s hope beyond red seaweed.

Though retired, Beauchemin still works for Agriculture Canada in an emeritus position, and has launched a research program to look at the efficacy of seaweeds extracted from coastal Canadian waters.

“We don’t (naturally) grow red sea plume but we do have kinds of red and brown and green seaweeds. We’re scanning those different species to see if any of our seaweed has any kind of methane mitigating effect.

“What we’ve found so far is that some of them could have a small effect — we’re looking at maybe 10 or 20 per cent production mitigation. There may be some opportunities for other seaweeds that have bioactive components other than bromoform.”

Seaweed suddenly hot

In any event, the search for seaweed-powered, methane-reducing additives has become big business, so much so that even Bill Gates is in the game, investing millions in the Australian startup Rumin8.

That company recently started safety and efficacy trials of its feed supplements in New Zealand, with one study looking at beef cattle and the other at dairy cows. Rather than harvesting seaweed from oceans, the company reproduces these naturally occurring, anti-methanogenic compounds on land.

Closer to home, Tamara Loiselle is counting on the methane-inhibiting ability of a range of seaweeds to power a supplement she says will reduce cattle greenhouse gases by more than 90 per cent.

“There are multiple bioactive compounds that are naturally occurring in seaweeds that when fed to cattle inhibit methane production,” said Loiselle, a longtime environmental consultant and CEO of a Calgary startup called Synergraze.

And they can’t come to market a moment too soon, she said.

“The amount of carbon dioxide equivalent that comes from cattle is about the same as the entire global transportation sector,” claims Loiselle, whose company motto is “You can eat your beef and help the environment too.”’

In some ways, Alberta is ground zero for methane emissions.

“(There are) 4.9 million head of cattle in Alberta and they produce 8.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from enteric methane,” Loiselle said.

Tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent isn’t a measure most people can relate to, but cows as climate villains is a recurring theme these days.

The numbers vary but livestock, cattle in particular, are widely viewed as a major source of methane emissions. A 2021 “methane assessment” by the UN Environment Program and an international coalition of government agencies and academic bodies estimated livestock accounts for 32 per cent of global methane emissions — both from manure and “enteric fermentation” (that is, methane produced in the gut and then belched out).

And while methane doesn’t persist as long in the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, it’s more potent, trapping about 25 times more heat, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Attracting investment

That has fuelled criticism of the cattle sector and also boosted interest in additives that reduce methane emissions.

Rumin8 has attracted about $23 million in funding, including money from an investment firm set up by Gates, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and others to promote innovative environmental tech.

The Australian company, which says its latest round of funding was “oversubscribed,” is in the process of building a pilot production plant and conducting trials Down Under and in the U.S. and Brazil.

Meanwhile, Loiselle’s startup has attracted considerable government money, including $5 million two years ago from Emissions Reduction Alberta, which helped fund a trial on the additive with an Alberta feedlot management company.

Loiselle did not respond to a post-interview request for information on results of the trial. It’s also not clear what type of seaweed Synergraze intends to use, although she recently told a news outlet on Vancouver Island that it will be “seaweeds/algae found naturally in the region.”

The company has partnered with the T’Sou-ke First Nation in southern Vancouver Island on a pilot production facility, producing seaweed and algae in tanks in a former greenhouse.

Last month, the company also received $1.3 million from a federal agency called Sustainable Development Technology Canada “to develop, demonstrate and commercialize” an additive from multiple strains of seaweed.

Don’t forget feed efficiency

As hopeful as Loiselle and other seaweed entrepreneurs may be, regulatory approval in North America may be a long and winding road, at least based on Beauchemin’s experience.

She pointed to 3-nitrooxypropanol (or 3-NOP), a Dutch-created methane-inhibiting compound, as an example of an extensively studied and peer-reviewed additive that is still facing years of regulatory consideration in North America.

She predicts that some seaweed products will face the same fate, particularly if they contain red sea plume.

“In Canada there’s a big long list of all the seaweed families that are approved for feeding. Asparagopsis taxiformis isn’t part of those families, so it would have to go through some kind of special regulatory approval.”

However, the cattle industry needs these solutions now in order to meet growing public demand for greenhouse gas reduction, said Beauchemin.

“I think it’s interesting to say that there’s all these things coming down the pipeline, but can we as an industry afford to wait for those approvals? No we can’t. So we need to look at what we already know will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

A simple example, she said, is feed conversion efficiency.

“If you reduce the amount of feed it takes to get a pound of meat or a pound of milk, then you need to grow less feed, the cow eats less and produces less manure so it produces less enteric methane emissions.”

– With staff files

The post Seaweed saviour? Marine algae touted as fix for cattle burps appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

During the webinar, producers were warned to be aware of additive effects and interactions.

Even if feed and water sources are each within tolerable levels for potential toxins like nitrates or sulphates, remember that cattle consume both water and feed. The combination of the two could have additive effects resulting in negative animal health consequences or even death.

This is even more important with alternative feed sources. For example, canola tends to be naturally high in sulphates. If you are feeding salvaged canola but your water source is also high in sulphates, the combination can result in overexposure.

Cattle may show immediate signs of sulphur toxicity (such as neurological symptoms such as twitching, vision impairment or staggering). Mineral interactions can also ensue. For example, copper levels may be acceptable in both the water and the feed, but excess sulphates (or molybdenum) can tie up that copper and result in lower pregnancy rates next year, or tied up vitamin E and selenium increase the risk for white muscle disease in calves next spring.

There may be enough nutrient in the feed, but if that nutrient is bound up by another feed ingredient and can’t be absorbed or used by the animal, it will still be deficient. This is known as a secondary deficiency.

Producers should also be cautious when feeding weeds.

Certain weeds (including dandelion, lamb’s quarters, and kochia) can be very nutritious for cattle, but use caution. Kochia tends to be high in oxalates, which can bind calcium and result in a secondary calcium deficiency (again, the feed test result may indicate that calcium levels in the ration are adequate).

Make sure you are aware of poisonous weeds in your area. Often cattle will avoid grazing these plants in normal years, but cattle may start to graze those poisonous species in drought conditions when forage supplies are short.

A few other points to consider:

• Avoid grazing flax, it is also high in oxalates and can bind copper. If you plan on feeding flax, it is better to cut and bale it.
• When grazing salvaged feeds, make sure you are aware of any products that have been used on that crop. Fungicides, herbicides or other chemicals used on crops may have withdrawal dates for livestock consumption or may state that livestock should not graze the crop at all.
• Ammonization can be used to increase the protein content of straw. If using ammoniated feed the ration must be balanced to ensure adequate energy for cattle to digest the protein. Availability of crews can also be an issue and appropriate safety precautions must be taken.
• When grazing alternative feeds or residues, use electric fence to only allow access to small amounts of the field at a time. This will help cattle graze more efficiently but also can make supplementation easier.
• Consider weaning calves early to reduce the energy requirements of the cow herd. Ensure you run the numbers to decide what the best option is when it comes to marketing calves.

The post Alternative feeds: There’s a lot to watch out for appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

Prices over the last year have shot up 25 to 40 per cent, according to Prairie Ag Hotwire.

“Any time you run into a high-priced commodity market, the cost of feeding starts to climb,” said Brandon Motz, co-owner and sales manager of CorNine Commodities at Lacombe, Alta.

“There are always cheaper options being looked at… We’ve definitely seen an increase in byproducts and searching for alternative feeds.”

Barry Yaremcio, owner and founder of Yaremcio Ag Consulting at Stettler, Alta., said oats and hay are two of the most common alternative feeds. Other feed options include peas, lentils, fababeans, sunflower seeds, cull potatoes, rye, triticale and screenings.

The challenge for feedlots is to provide a mixture sufficient for the nutritional needs of their animals. Cattle can’t consume too many cereal grains due to the risk of rumen acidosis. In Alberta, due to a lack of protein content in last year’s forages, cow-calf feeders are looking for more grains and seeds.

“Sunflower seeds: 22 per cent protein; peas: 24 per cent; lentils: 21 per cent; chickpeas: 24 per cent,” Yaremcio said. “There’s a lot of options out there to get protein levels up (without) having to feed barley, canola meal or soybean meal, which are very expensive right now.”

A five cent per pound reduction in feeding costs to a 1,400-lb. animal would result in cost savings of at least $75 per head, according to Yaremcio. However, it depends on the animal’s feeding program.

“Are they trying to maintain the animal’s weight? Are they growing the animal at a certain pound per head per day?” Motz said.

He also warned that higher demand for alternative feeds can result in prices rising to a point where they are no longer financially viable. With signs pointing to a dry summer in Western Canada and other commodity prices remaining high, prices for feed grains could stay elevated into the next crop year.

“The weather’s being watched. The acres are being watched. We have three or four months until new crop start to come off and we’ll have a better idea by July what the crop will look like, which will paint the picture in the fall.”

— Adam Peleshaty reports for MarketsFarm from Stonewall, Man.

The post Feed weekly outlook: Alternatives in greater demand appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“There are many alternative feeds that can supplement and even improve the diet,” the web page states.

These range from crop residues, chaff, oat hulls, and screenings to DDGs, fruit and vegetable waste, and even weeds.

The web page, which can be found at beefresearch.ca, examines the benefits and drawbacks of each type of alternative feeds as well as factors to consider.

These include costs, nutritional value, palatability, and considerations related to using the feed (such as the need for grinding or different mixing equipment).

The post Different options for feeding cattle appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.

“People tended to kind of blend hay this year and they managed to get through. But the prolonged cold spring really I think put a lot of pressure on feed supplies,” said Terry Kowalchuk, a provincial forage specialist in Regina.

Provincial crop reports in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta show producers face tight supplies. The April 30 crop report from the Saskatchewan agriculture ministry said producers have been forced to fall back on alternative feeds and feed grains for livestock while they wait for pastures to green up.

There is also concern about winterkill in pastures. According to Glenn Friesen, industry development specialist with Manitoba Agriculture in Carman, there isn’t yet a strong indication of just how much winterkill there is.

“We expect it to be a touch higher than normal,” he said, “and we’ve had a fairly dry and warm spring and we know producers are getting cattle in the pastures.”

Although grass is starting to grow in pastures, there is concern that due to tight forage supplies producers could be forced to send livestock out to pasture earlier than usual.

“Putting (the cattle) out early has kind of a double whammy. It does (hold) back the potential (pasture quality) by quite a bit, that’s the problem. Especially in a dry year like this,” Kowalchuk said.

While the forage situation isn’t looking the best in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the May 8 crop report from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry said hay and pasture conditions had improved following warm temperatures and precipitation across the province.

In drier portions of the Prairies, there has been concern about grass fires ruining pasture and hay land for the year, as several large fires have been reported across the provinces.

“That’s affecting fence posts. That’s affecting fences. And so the ability for a producer to use that piece now becomes an issue even if the grass does grow back, there’s lots of work to be done to rebuild it,” Friesen said.

The dry spring could also affect this year’s forage crops. According to Kowalchuk, the yield potential for forages depends on precipitation received in May — but due to the late spring, the province is two weeks behind where it regularly is for this time of year.

“If we got rain late May, early June I think we’d still be OK. But we could definitely use a good two- to three-day soaker right now for sure, provincewide,” he said, adding it isn’t at a critical point yet.

— Ashley Robinson writes for Commodity News Service Canada, a Glacier FarmMedia company specializing in grain and commodity market reporting. Follow her at @AshleyMR1993 on Twitter.

The post Forage supplies starting to dip on dry Prairies appeared first on Alberta Farmer Express.