Seaweed-based feeding trials in cows
I. Purpose
Macroalgae or seaweeds are significant marine biomass in Norway and around the world. Although tons of seaweed biomass can be harvested from the Norwegian coastal line, a substantial part of the seaweed bio-resources is still underutilized today. Earlier in-vitro and few in-vivo studies have suggested that the proper utilization of seaweed biomass as animal feed ingredients can help establish sustainable livestock production (Pandey et al., 2020).
A few studies have pointed out that seaweed can have anti-methanogenic properties, inhibiting enteric methane emissions from lactating dairy cows (Roque et al., 2019; Pandey et al., 2020). However, the impacts of Norwegian seaweed-based diets and their implications on feed intake, animal performance, health and welfare, and production are unknown. Thus, the purpose of this project is to understand the impacts of Norwegian seaweed-based feeding on animal performance, general health and welfare, production potential, and enteric methane emissions in dairy cattle.
According to §10, the purpose is: a) Applied research (anvendt forskning).
II. Expected distress
The experimental procedures described under this protocol are categorized as mild. The whole animal experiment is rated as a “Mild Experiment”, with low expected distress for the animals, according to ANNEX VIII of EU Directive 2010/63.
III. Expected benefits
The obtained results will increase our understanding of the beneficial impacts of local marine seaweeds and their bioactive compounds on animal performance, health, and welfare, enteric methane emissions in dairy cattle. Such knowledge is vital to provide a commercial value to seaweed as an underutilized biomass and contribute towards the development of more sustainable and environment-friendly ruminant production in the future.
IV. Number and type of animals
The study includes female Norwegian red cattle at the mid-to late-lactation stage for dietary interventions where animals will be exposed to standard (control) or seaweed-based iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets. In total, it is applied for 36 cows per year x 4 years = 144 cows.
V. Adherence to the 3Rs
Supplemental experiments will be performed in cell culture whenever possible, and nutritional profiles of experimental feeds will be characterized. However, whole animals are needed to understand the physiological role of the various dietary interventions. Impacts of feeds on animal performance and milk production cannot be achieved without performing in-vivo feeding trials in dairy cattle. Thus, alternatives to animal use do not exist.
To reduce animal use, factorial design is used whenever possible, and power analysis is performed in advance not to overuse the animals to obtain valid scientific information. Besides, to ensure efficient use of laboratory animals, the single animal will be subjected to a set of experimental procedures to reduce the number of animals in the experiment.
Macroalgae or seaweeds are significant marine biomass in Norway and around the world. Although tons of seaweed biomass can be harvested from the Norwegian coastal line, a substantial part of the seaweed bio-resources is still underutilized today. Earlier in-vitro and few in-vivo studies have suggested that the proper utilization of seaweed biomass as animal feed ingredients can help establish sustainable livestock production (Pandey et al., 2020).
A few studies have pointed out that seaweed can have anti-methanogenic properties, inhibiting enteric methane emissions from lactating dairy cows (Roque et al., 2019; Pandey et al., 2020). However, the impacts of Norwegian seaweed-based diets and their implications on feed intake, animal performance, health and welfare, and production are unknown. Thus, the purpose of this project is to understand the impacts of Norwegian seaweed-based feeding on animal performance, general health and welfare, production potential, and enteric methane emissions in dairy cattle.
According to §10, the purpose is: a) Applied research (anvendt forskning).
II. Expected distress
The experimental procedures described under this protocol are categorized as mild. The whole animal experiment is rated as a “Mild Experiment”, with low expected distress for the animals, according to ANNEX VIII of EU Directive 2010/63.
III. Expected benefits
The obtained results will increase our understanding of the beneficial impacts of local marine seaweeds and their bioactive compounds on animal performance, health, and welfare, enteric methane emissions in dairy cattle. Such knowledge is vital to provide a commercial value to seaweed as an underutilized biomass and contribute towards the development of more sustainable and environment-friendly ruminant production in the future.
IV. Number and type of animals
The study includes female Norwegian red cattle at the mid-to late-lactation stage for dietary interventions where animals will be exposed to standard (control) or seaweed-based iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets. In total, it is applied for 36 cows per year x 4 years = 144 cows.
V. Adherence to the 3Rs
Supplemental experiments will be performed in cell culture whenever possible, and nutritional profiles of experimental feeds will be characterized. However, whole animals are needed to understand the physiological role of the various dietary interventions. Impacts of feeds on animal performance and milk production cannot be achieved without performing in-vivo feeding trials in dairy cattle. Thus, alternatives to animal use do not exist.
To reduce animal use, factorial design is used whenever possible, and power analysis is performed in advance not to overuse the animals to obtain valid scientific information. Besides, to ensure efficient use of laboratory animals, the single animal will be subjected to a set of experimental procedures to reduce the number of animals in the experiment.