413: Cows Eating Seaweed? The Research Behind a More Efficient Beef Industry with Juliana Ranches

What happens when you add seaweed to a cattle diet? Dr. Juliana Ranches, assistant professor and beef extension specialist at Oregon State University, joins Lauren on Cattle USA Daily to break down her research into methane emissions, grazing cattle, soil carbon and the surprising role seaweed could play in the future of cattle nutrition. Her research takes a holistic look at the entire grazing system, with the goal of finding supplementation strategies that don't just reduce methane emissions, but can also improve cattle efficiency, productivity and the return for producers.

Links:

Juliana at OSU: https://anrs.oregonstate.edu/directory/people/juliana-ranches

369: The Damage Wildfires Are Doing to Your Cattle with Dr. Juliana Ranches: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80YSOplynVU

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Key Takeaways:

• Much of the methane research has focused on feedlot and dairy cattle
• Rangelands may have the ability to act as carbon sinks
• Juliana's research takes a 360-degree approach to grazing systems
• Forage quality and seasons can influence cattle emissions
• Seaweed may reduce methane and improve energy efficiency
• Pacific dulse is being studied as a potential cattle supplement
• An early trial saw about a 9% methane reduction in 21 days
• Cattle showed no issues consuming the seaweed in the initial trial
• Researchers want the supplement to provide benefits beyond methane reduction
• Soil carbon is another key piece of the research
• The goal is a cost-effective supplement that benefits cattle, producers and the environment

Chapters:

00:00 – Juliana Ranches Returns to Cattle USA Daily
02:12 – Understanding Methane From Grazing Cattle
04:17 – Taking a 360-Degree Approach
07:48 – Why Are Cows Eating Seaweed?
10:00 – Growing Seaweed for Cattle Supplementation
12:04 – The Role of Soil Carbon
13:26 – What Would Success Look Like?
15:46 – Early Results From the Seaweed Trial
17:35 – The Bigger Conversation Around Methane
19:36 – What Producers Need to Know

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