SBIR Phase II: Optimizing production and final product stability of Asparagopsis taxiformis as a novel feed material for livestock methane reduction

这项小企业研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛影响是，通过商业化生产taxxiformis天冬酰胺，用于牛饲料，减少反刍牲畜行业的甲烷产量。目前地球上有15亿头牛，它们在生长过程中释放甲烷，对温室气体排放做出了重大贡献。已经证明，在牛饲料中加入A. taxformis可以减少80%以上的甲烷排放。然而，沙蝇的生产能力落后于市场需求。保守估计，为减少15亿头牛的甲烷排放所需的生物质生产是每天264公吨的新鲜藻类生物质。该项目的目标是优化室外栽培实践，以实现这一生产目标。此外，最终产品的颗粒化将扩大这种新型牲畜饲料添加剂从小农到工业饲养场的实施能力，通过将这种新型饲料纳入标准牧场实践，进一步增加产品的影响。本项目致力于在规模化生产操作中开发新的沙蝇栽培工艺。目前，生产方法主要集中在低光照、高能耗、难以规模化的室内种植。该项目侧重于在自动化室外栽培系统中生产生物质，从而克服室内栽培的规模限制和相关能源成本。开发适合该物种需求的替代性户外栽培系统将提高产量，以满足工业需求。此外，铣削最终饲料产品的行业标准导致较低的运输质量：体积比，推动运输成本上升。由于增加表面积和空气比的吸湿，研磨材料对产品的生存能力有问题。通过与生产藻类的当地饲料厂合作，该项目概述的方法可以为当地实体实现经济收益，大大降低运输成本。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Research (SBIR) Phase II project is to reduce methane production in the ruminant livestock industry via the commercial production of Asparagopsis taxiformis for inclusion in cattle feed. There are currently 1.5 billion head of cattle on earth, which contribute significantly to greenhouse emissions via methane release during growth. It has been demonstrated that the inclusion of A. taxiformis in cattle feed can drive down methane emissions by more than 80%. However, production capabilities of A. taxiformis lag behind the market need. A conservative estimate for biomass production necessary to mitigate methane emissions of 1.5 billion cattle is 264 metric tons of fresh algae biomass daily. The goal of this project is to optimize outdoor cultivation practices is necessary to meet this production goal. Additionally, pelletization of the final product will broaden implementation capacity of this novel livestock feed additive from small farmers to industrial feedlots, further increasing the impact of the product by incorporating this novel feed into standard ranching practices. This project pursues development of novel cultivation procedures of A. taxiformis in scaled production operations. Currently, production approaches focus on low-light, energy intensive, and difficult to scale indoor cultivation. This project focuses on producing biomass in automated outdoor cultivation systems, thus overcoming limitations of scaling and associated energy costs of indoor cultivation. The development of alternative outdoor cultivation systems specific to the species’ needs will improve yield in production to meet industry needs. Additionally, the industry standard of milling final feed products results in a lower mass:volume ratio for shipment, driving shipping costs up. Milled material is problematic for product viability due to moisture absorption from increased surface area:air ratio. By working with a local feed mill where the algae are produced, the approach outlined in this project can realize economic gains by a local entity, reducing the costs of shipping dramatically.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.