Seed funding secured for growing seaweed to feed laying hens

The Center of Excellence for Livestock Innovation (CIEL) has provided aquaculture seed funding for the first time, which aims to accelerate innovation, research and development in the sector. The focus is on two topics, namely life history assessment of aquatic species and the use of seaweed to create a link between aquatic and terrestrial food production.

Seaweed Protein Biomass Farming System

Seaweed startup Seaweed Generation has received funding for a Seaweed Protein Biomass Farming System project. This will allow to study different methods of cultivation of different types of seaweed, as well as evaluate the palatability of seaweed for feeding laying hens.

The project will test a prototype of a unique culture system using 2 different types of high protein algae. Researchers at the University of Stirling will analyze the nutrient content of the algae and feed the cooked, dried algae to several laying hens to test their response to the addition of algae to their diet.

“…cultivation of seaweed for high-volume products such as animal feed, fertilizer and packaging.”

Seaweeds are used in the poultry industry to improve the immune status of animals, reduce the microbial load in the digestive tract and due to their beneficial effect on the quality of both eggs and poultry MEAT. As a rule, they are used in small quantities, with an inclusion level of 1% to 5%.

Robotics to help fight climate change

Seaweed Generation wants to fight climate change with robotics and seaweed. Their first robot, AlgaRay, sinks invasive algae into the ocean, locking in carbon for hundreds of years and preventing environmental disasters caused by seaweed species like sargassum, which can seriously affect human HEALTH once they reach the coast.

Their second robot, the AlgaVator, increases the automation of seaweed farming by reducing the cost of growing seaweed so that it can be used to produce high-volume products such as animal feed, fertilizer and packaging.

“We are just now starting to explore the potential of seaweed.”

Paddy Estridge, CEO of Seaweed Generation, said: “Algae are amazing organisms, and the more we study them, the more potential we see in them: they are distributed throughout the world, occupy many ecological niches and support valuable ocean ecosystems. We are only now beginning to scratch the surface of seaweed potential.”

Martin Sutcliffe, CIEL Aquaculture Specialist, added: “Connecting agrifood and aquaculture is one of the main goals of this work. These are seed projects meant to be further developed in the future that will help move the industry forward.”

The projects should be completed at the end of this year.