Rewriting the climate impact of cattle farming
Articles Climate Change

Rewriting the climate impact of cattle farming

Australia

Sea Forest’s feed supplement reached more than 110,000 cattle in 2025, cutting methane while helping animals convert the same amount of feed into greater weight.

#climatechange #SL25
Sam Elsom Verified

Sam Elsom

Chief Executive Officer @ Sea Forest Limited

See profile
Posted 01/10/2026
Challenge

Cattle release methane as microbes break down food in their stomachs. That natural process accounts for around 70 per cent of agriculture’s methane emissions, making livestock one of the sector’s hardest climate problems.

 

It also wastes energy. Instead of helping an animal grow, part of the feed it consumes leaves as methane. Farmers are therefore being faced with the dilemma of reducing emissions from a biological process while continuing to produce enough food and remain profitable.

 

Scientists had found that a native red seaweed called Asparagopsis could interrupt methane formation. The next challenge was turning that discovery into a consistent product that could work across commercial farms and feedlots.

 

 

 

Solution

Sea Forest spent six years developing SeaFeed, a unique feed formulation utilising bioactive compounds from Asparagopsis armata.

 

Added to cattle feed in very small quantities, SeaFeed interferes with the microbes that produce methane in the rumen. Because less energy escapes, more can remain available to the animal.

 

A 200-day study involving 160 Angus steers tested SeaFeed under commercial feedlot conditions. Cattle receiving the supplement produced 51.7 percent less methane on average, with reductions peaking at 90.6 per cent during the trial. Their gain-to-feed ratio improved by 6.6 per cent, and they finished an average of 19.7 kilograms heavier than the control group despite consuming the same amount of feed.

 

The study found no significant difference in the beef’s tenderness, juiciness or flavour. Muscle, fat and kidney samples were also free of residues.

 

Sea Forest has developed several ways to deliver SeaFeed, including oil, pellets and lick blocks, allowing it to fit into existing feeding systems. Farmers pay per animal per day, while improved productivity and potential carbon credits help offset the cost.

 

 

More than 110,000 beef cattle were receiving SeaFeed by December 2025, delivering a reported annualised abatement of over 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

 

Impact

Following six years of research and product development, Sea Forest began commercialising SeaFeed in June 2025. By December the same year, more than 110,000 beef cattle were receiving the supplement, delivering a reported annualised abatement of over 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

 

The environmental gain is paired with an economic incentive. Sea Forest estimates that using SeaFeed generates a net benefit of A$0.40 per grain-fed animal each day through better feed conversion and productivity, before potential carbon-credit income.

 

The product is also moving beyond cattle. By December 2025, more than 10,000 sheep were receiving SeaFeed. Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, subsequently launched its first low-carbon wool collection connected to this work in April 2026.

 

SeaFeed has also been used to reduce emissions from dairy production, with lower-emissions milk and cheese reaching major food retailers. Partnerships and trials involving Woolworths, Myton Food Group, Mitsui & Co. and Mars point to a broader role for the product across food and fashion supply chains.

 

The effectiveness of SeaFeed proves that farmers do not have to choose between strong animal performance and lowering methane emissions, resulting in a positive feedback loop.

 

 

Future outlook

Sea Forest plans to expand across Australian grain-fed and grazing cattle, with a commercial pipeline exceeding 600,000 animals. A large-scale grazing trial is due to begin in 2026, supported by new delivery methods suited to extensive grazing operations.

 

International expansion is planned for Africa and Brazil, followed by the United Kingdom and Europe. Sea Forest is also targeting commercial water-based delivery by 2027 and regulatory approval in the United States by 2028 or 2029.

 

The ambition is to make a tiny addition to an animal’s diet produce an outsized result: less methane, more efficient farming and lower-emissions food and fibre.

 

Sea Forest Limited (ASX: SEA) is an Australian science-based environmental technology company harnessing the bioactives of Asparagopsis, a native red seaweed, and replicating them at scale to help reduce methane emissions from livestock. Founded in 2018, Sea Forest was the first in the world to cultivate Asparagopsis at commercial scale, and its product, SeaFeed, is a methane-abating feed supplement for ruminants that combines natural and manufactured solutions. Based in Tasmania, with offices in Sydney and product approvals in progress for Brazil, Europe and the United Kingdom, Sea Forest works with livestock producers, supply chain partners, and leading research institutions internationally to deliver measurable emissions reductions while supporting livestock productivity. Sea Forest listed on the ASX in November 2025. For more information, visit www.seaforest.com.au.

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Equality Climate Change Governance Sustainability Steward Leadership

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The SL25 partners - Steward Leadership Institute, the INSEAD Hoffmann Institute, WTW and The Straits Times - are not responsible for the statements and opinions expressed by the organisations behind the SL25 projects. These organisations are responsible for the truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of their content in their applications as well as those presented on this site, which are not guaranteed by the SL25 partners. All information on this site reflects the submissions received as of 15 Apr 2026, the closing application date for SL25. Inclusion to the SL25 list is based on the particular project(s) described in the application form. SL25 is not intended as a blanket endorsement of the organisation as a whole.

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Articles Climate Change

Rewriting the climate impact of cattle farming

Australia

Sea Forest’s feed supplement reached more than 110,000 cattle in 2025, cutting methane while helping animals convert the same amount of feed into greater weight.

#climatechange #SL25
Sam Elsom Verified

Sam Elsom

Chief Executive Officer @ Sea Forest Limited

See profile
Posted 01/10/2026
Challenge

Cattle release methane as microbes break down food in their stomachs. That natural process accounts for around 70 per cent of agriculture’s methane emissions, making livestock one of the sector’s hardest climate problems.

 

It also wastes energy. Instead of helping an animal grow, part of the feed it consumes leaves as methane. Farmers are therefore being faced with the dilemma of reducing emissions from a biological process while continuing to produce enough food and remain profitable.

 

Scientists had found that a native red seaweed called Asparagopsis could interrupt methane formation. The next challenge was turning that discovery into a consistent product that could work across commercial farms and feedlots.

 

 

 

Solution

Sea Forest spent six years developing SeaFeed, a unique feed formulation utilising bioactive compounds from Asparagopsis armata.

 

Added to cattle feed in very small quantities, SeaFeed interferes with the microbes that produce methane in the rumen. Because less energy escapes, more can remain available to the animal.

 

A 200-day study involving 160 Angus steers tested SeaFeed under commercial feedlot conditions. Cattle receiving the supplement produced 51.7 percent less methane on average, with reductions peaking at 90.6 per cent during the trial. Their gain-to-feed ratio improved by 6.6 per cent, and they finished an average of 19.7 kilograms heavier than the control group despite consuming the same amount of feed.

 

The study found no significant difference in the beef’s tenderness, juiciness or flavour. Muscle, fat and kidney samples were also free of residues.

 

Sea Forest has developed several ways to deliver SeaFeed, including oil, pellets and lick blocks, allowing it to fit into existing feeding systems. Farmers pay per animal per day, while improved productivity and potential carbon credits help offset the cost.

 

 

More than 110,000 beef cattle were receiving SeaFeed by December 2025, delivering a reported annualised abatement of over 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

 

Impact

Following six years of research and product development, Sea Forest began commercialising SeaFeed in June 2025. By December the same year, more than 110,000 beef cattle were receiving the supplement, delivering a reported annualised abatement of over 210,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

 

The environmental gain is paired with an economic incentive. Sea Forest estimates that using SeaFeed generates a net benefit of A$0.40 per grain-fed animal each day through better feed conversion and productivity, before potential carbon-credit income.

 

The product is also moving beyond cattle. By December 2025, more than 10,000 sheep were receiving SeaFeed. Fast Retailing, the parent company of Uniqlo, subsequently launched its first low-carbon wool collection connected to this work in April 2026.

 

SeaFeed has also been used to reduce emissions from dairy production, with lower-emissions milk and cheese reaching major food retailers. Partnerships and trials involving Woolworths, Myton Food Group, Mitsui & Co. and Mars point to a broader role for the product across food and fashion supply chains.

 

The effectiveness of SeaFeed proves that farmers do not have to choose between strong animal performance and lowering methane emissions, resulting in a positive feedback loop.

 

 

Future outlook

Sea Forest plans to expand across Australian grain-fed and grazing cattle, with a commercial pipeline exceeding 600,000 animals. A large-scale grazing trial is due to begin in 2026, supported by new delivery methods suited to extensive grazing operations.

 

International expansion is planned for Africa and Brazil, followed by the United Kingdom and Europe. Sea Forest is also targeting commercial water-based delivery by 2027 and regulatory approval in the United States by 2028 or 2029.

 

The ambition is to make a tiny addition to an animal’s diet produce an outsized result: less methane, more efficient farming and lower-emissions food and fibre.

 

Connect

Sea Forest Limited (ASX: SEA) is an Australian science-based environmental technology company harnessing the bioactives of Asparagopsis, a native red seaweed, and replicating them at scale to help reduce methane emissions from livestock. Founded in 2018, Sea Forest was the first in the world to cultivate Asparagopsis at commercial scale, and its product, SeaFeed, is a methane-abating feed supplement for ruminants that combines natural and manufactured solutions. Based in Tasmania, with offices in Sydney and product approvals in progress for Brazil, Europe and the United Kingdom, Sea Forest works with livestock producers, supply chain partners, and leading research institutions internationally to deliver measurable emissions reductions while supporting livestock productivity. Sea Forest listed on the ASX in November 2025. For more information, visit www.seaforest.com.au.

Explore Topic

Equality Climate Change Governance Sustainability Steward Leadership

Want to leave a comment? Sign up or log in.

The SL25 partners - Steward Leadership Institute, the INSEAD Hoffmann Institute, WTW and The Straits Times - are not responsible for the statements and opinions expressed by the organisations behind the SL25 projects. These organisations are responsible for the truthfulness, accuracy and completeness of their content in their applications as well as those presented on this site, which are not guaranteed by the SL25 partners. All information on this site reflects the submissions received as of 15 Apr 2026, the closing application date for SL25. Inclusion to the SL25 list is based on the particular project(s) described in the application form. SL25 is not intended as a blanket endorsement of the organisation as a whole.

Have a perspective worth sharing?

Submit an idea, propose a course, or start a conversation that moves the field forward.

Submit an Idea Join the Commons