Lower methane milk hits the shelves

The world's first fresh milk produced with a burp-busting seaweed supplement has hit the supermarket shelves in Tasmania.

Ashgrove Eco-Milk is the world's first commercially available fresh milk made with a lower methane footprint.

The new milk product is the result of a collaboration between the Tasmanian dairy producer and a local seaweed startup Sea Forest.

Methane is a significant greenhouse gas contributor and the livestock industry accounts for around 30% of global methane emissions, according to the United Nations.

Bad gas

Although it's a short-lived atmospheric gas, in the first year that it's emitted into the atmosphere it has 120 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide according to Sea Forest, which was named a finalist in The Earthshot Prize last year.

Eco-Milk, which boldly promotes its eco-friendly properties on the pack, has launched into Woolworths and IGA supermarkets across Tasmania.

Ashgrove has used feed additives from Sea Forest to reduce methane emissions in a fifth of its herd (500 cows) so far and has reported a 25% reduction in methane in the cows fed the additive.

Ashgrove says its cows continue to graze naturally but are fed a mix that includes the Sea Forest supplement SeaFeed during milking with no impact on the taste or quality of the milk.

"It's a win-win for our cows and the environment, highlighting our unwavering commitment to sustainability."

Seaweed and other methane-busting feed additives, meanwhile, come at a higher price tag to the industry, so Ashgrove says it has priced its Eco-Milk at around twenty-five cents more than normal milk as it explores consumer demand for more sustainable product options ahead of a potential project expansion.

Sea Forest is based in Triabunna on Tasmania's east coast where it developed its methane-mitigating feed supplement from a red seaweed species native to the waters of Tasmania called Asparagopsis.

Beyond milk

The company is working on other seaweed-based products with the potential to reduce methane in a range of industries and is collaborating with other companies including burger chain Grill’d, NZ dairy giant Fonterra, and beer brand Asahi.

Ashgrove's managing director Richard Bennett said the launch reflected Ashgrove's commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of dairy farming.

“Our Eco-Milk cows continue to graze freely on lush, fresh grass, and during milking, they savour a nutritious muesli mix with the addition of SeaFeed.

“This results in 'burps' with lower methane emissions. It's a win-win for our cows and the environment, highlighting our unwavering commitment to sustainability.”