Asparagopsis trial

By adding a small amount of asparagopsis, a type of natively grown seaweed, into the feed of our cattle we can reduce their methane emissions by up to 90%.
At Stockyard, we recognise the important role we play as custodians of the land and animals under our care. Thanks to the pioneering spirit of our founding family, we’re continually looking for ways to produce beef that is kinder to the environment that supports us.  

This has included a focus on reducing our Scope 1 and 2 emissions, driven by our desire to leave a softer environmental footprint and backed up by a sustainability-linked loan. 

In 2023, we achieved a significant milestone by completing our first commercial-scale trial of Asparagopsis, a red seaweed known for its potential to reduce methane emissions in cattle. This trial aimed not only to uncover ways to reduce our environmental impact but also to evaluate the effect of Asparagopsis on cattle performance, feed efficiency, and the quality and safety of the beef produced. Our goal was to identify a product that would reduce our emissions profile and improve cattle performance while maintaining the beef's quality and safety.  

Stockyard invested in new research and development facilities to support the trial, doubling our capacity to measure individual animal feed intake, feeding behaviour and body weight. We also procured two GreenFeed units to measure the methane and carbon dioxide rates produced by cattle. As a result, Kerwee Feedlot is home to Australia’s largest research and development facilities capable of running feed intake and emissions trials within in a commercial feedlot environment.

The trial observed 160 head of Angus cattle following Stockyard’s usual 200-day feeding program, with half receiving a ration with the seaweed within and half receiving the standard ration. The results were promising, cattle fed the seaweed supplement showed a 51% reduction in methane emissions along with a modest increase in productivity. Most importantly, there was no adverse impact on the eating quality or safety of the final product, proven through comprehensive safety testing and trained sensory assessments.  

The trial is part of several ongoing studies into the viability of natural feed additives like Asparagopsis to help reduce the methane emissions in cattle. We’re proud to be a leader in this space, and play a part in enhancing industry knowledge.