2 minute read
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
its harmful methane footprint while benefiting its stakeholders. Seaweed-based feed reduces operational costs for the ranch, supports farmers by promoting cattle health, benefits consumers of cattle products, and progresses sustainable farming initiatives. The adoption of seaweed-based cattle feed emerges as favorable, profitable, and rewarding for all those involved in Harris Ranch— even the cows.
1. What do you imagine might be some challenges in producing A. taxiformis seaweed on a global scale? What more would you need to know?
2. In what ways is this unusual diet, “favorable, profitable, and rewarding…for the cows,” as the author suggests in the closing?
1 Northon, Karen. “Satellite Data Shows U.S. Methane 'Hot Spot' Bigger than Expected.” NASA, 9 Oct. 2014, www.nasa.gov/ press/2014/october/satellite-data-shows-us-methane-hot-spotbigger-than-expected.
2 Dunbar, Brian. “NASA Traces Molecular Characteristics That Heat Earth.” NASA, 5 May 2010, www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/ features/heat-molecules.html.
3 Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). “Tropospheric Ozone.” Climate & Clean Air Coalition, 1 Jan. 1970, www.ccacoalition. org/en/slcps/tropospheric-ozone.
4 Ibid.
5 “Methane: A Crucial Opportunity in the Climate Fight.” Environmental Defense Fund, www.edf.org/climate/methanecrucial-opportunity-climate-fight.
6 “Overview of Greenhouse Gases.” EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhousegases#methane.
7 Quinton, Amy. “Cows and Climate Change.” UC Davis, 27 June 2019, www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/making-cattle-moresustainable.
8 Gray, Ellen. “NASA at Your Table: Where Food Meets Methane.” NASA, 13 Aug. 2021, www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/esnt/ nasa-at-your-table-where-food-meets-methane.
9 Machado, Lorenna, et al. “Effects of Marine and Freshwater Macroalgae on in Vitro Total Gas and Methane Production.” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, 22 Jan. 2014, dx.doi. org/10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0085289.
10 Nelson, Diane. “Can Seaweed Cut Methane Emissions on Dairy Farms?” UC Davis, 24 May 2018, www.ucdavis.edu/climate/ news/can-seaweed-cut-methane-emissions-on-dairy-farms.
11 Battaglia, Michael. “Seaweed Could Hold the Key to Cutting Methane Emissions from Cow Burps.” CSIROscope, CSIRO, 14 Oct. 2016, blog.csiro.au/seaweed-hold-key-cutting-methaneemissions-cow-burps/.
12 Peters, Adele. “This Factory Is Growing a New Kind of Food for Cows: A Seaweed That Reduces Their Burps.” Fast Company, 1 June 2020, www.fastcompany.com/90510673/this-factory-isgrowing-a-new-kind-of-food-for-cows-a-seaweed-that-reducestheir-burps.
13 Kebreab, Ermias, and Roque, Breanna. “Feeding Cows a Few Ounces of Seaweed Daily Could Sharply Reduce Their Contribution to Climate Change.” The Conversation, 11 Sept. 2021, theconversation.com/feeding-cows-a-few-ounces-ofseaweed-daily-could-sharply-reduce-their-contribution-toclimate-change-157192.
14 “Family of Companies.” Harris Ranch Beef Company, 20 Aug. 2020, www.harrisranchbeef.com/family-ofcompanies/#:~:text=Harris%20Feeding%20Company,fed%20 in%20their%20own%20feedlot.
15 Corn 2022 Data - 1912-2021 Historical - 2023 Forecast - Price - Quote - Chart. Trading Economics, 2022, tradingeconomics. com/commodity/corn.
16 Yurong, Dale. “Local Cattle Ranchers Seeing Increase in Hay Prices.” ABC30 Fresno, KFSN-TV, 17 June 2021, abc30.com/hayprices-fresno-farmewrs-ranchers/10798643.
17 Moallem, U. “Invited Review: Roles of Dietary N-3 Fatty Acids in Performance, Milk Fat Composition, and Reproductive and Immune Systems in Dairy Cattle.” Journal of Dairy Science, Elsevier, 9 Aug. 2018, doi.org/10.3168/jds.2018-14772.
18 Antaya N.T., et al. “Incremental Amounts of Ascophyllum Nodosum Meal Do Not Improve Animal Performance but Do Increase Milk Iodine Output in Early Lactation Dairy Cows Fed High-Forage Diets.” Journal of Dairy Science, 26 Dec. 2014, doi.
org/10.3168/jds.2014-8851.
19 Allen, V.G., et al. “Tasco: Influence of a Brown Seaweed on Antioxidants in Forages and Livestock—A Review.” Journal of Animal Science, Volume 79, 1 Jan. 2001, doi.org/10.2527/ jas2001.79E-SupplE21x.
20 Fike J.H., et al. Tasco-Forage: I. Influence of a seaweed extract on antioxidant activity in tall fescue and in ruminants. Journal of Animal Science, Volume 79, Issue 4, 1 Apr. 2001, doi. org/10.2527/2001.7941011x.
21 Brennan, Dan. “9 Foods High in Iodine and Why You Need It.” WebMD, 22 Oct. 2020, www.webmd.com/diet/foods-high-iniodine.
22 Zimmermann, M.B. Iodine deficiency. Endocrine Reviews, Volume 30, Issue 4, 1 June 2009, doi.org/10.1210/er.2009-0011.
23 Marati, Jessica. “Behind the Label: Where in-N-Out's Beef Really Comes From.” EcoSalon, 1 Aug. 2012, ecosalon.com/ behind-the-label-in-n-out-burger-2/#:~:text=One%20of%20 In%2DN%2DOut's,for%20its%20factory%20farming%20 methods.
24 Ferek, Katy Stech. “In Clampdown on U.S. Methane Emissions, Belching Cattle Get a Pass.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 14 Feb. 2022, www.wsj.com/articles/inclampdown-on-u-s-methane-emissions-belching-cattle-get-apass-11644661801.
25 “Joint US-EU Press Release on the Global Methane Pledge.” The White House, The United States Government, 18 Sept. 2021, www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statementsreleases/2021/09/18/joint-us-eu-press-release-on-the-globalmethane-pledge.
26 Ferek.
Photo Credits: Nick Albi / Adobe Stock—page 60
Ljupco Smokovski /Adobe Stock—page 62
FajarHidayah11 / Adobe Stock—page 63
