Enteric methane mitigation through Asparagopsis taxiformis supplementation and potential algal alternatives

作者：D. Wasson, C. Yarish, A. Hristov · 发表于：Frontiers in Animal Science · 年份：2022 · DOI：10.3389/fanim.2022.999338 · 被引用次数：47

Research is increasingly directed towards decreasing the greenhouse gases contribution, specifically methane, from the livestock agriculture sector. Macroalgae supplementation has emerged as a promising tool to mitigate enteric methane emission in ruminants. The mode of action responsible for the mitigation effect centers around the content of volatile halogenated compounds, primarily bromoform. The sub-tropical red seaweed, Asparagopsis taxiformis, is the most well researched bromoform containing species. While several studies, both in vitro and in vivo, have demonstrated the effectiveness of A. taxiformis at reducing enteric methane emission (> 80% reduction), questions surrounding sustainability, animal productivity, animal product quality, and commercial practicality remain. These questions by no means disqualify the practice of feeding macroalgae to cattle to reduce methane emission, but they must be answered before implementing macroalgae as a feed additive commercially. Also, limiting scientific inquiry to a few species reduces the potential of discovering other compounds and modes of action that could produce the desired mitigation effect without the inherit drawbacks of the current options. Work conducted in both ruminant nutrition and human health fields have identified numerous bioactive compounds within plants that exhibit anti-microbial functions that could modify the rumen microbiome for beneficial outcomes. These compounds are also found in macroalgae. Phlorota...