Netherlands: Seaweed as a methane inhibitor is not free of risks

“Bromoform inhibits the formation of methane in the cow's rumen. However, it is also toxic. ”, Says Wouter Muizelaar, researcher at Wageningen Livestock Research. Previous research linked seaweed A. taxiformis to rumen wall damage in sheep. “That is why we wanted to know what effect A. taxiformis has on cows. Does bromoform end up in milk, urine, manure or animal tissue? Where is it? This research shows that bromoform from A. taxiformis can end up in milk and urine. Reason to reconsider whether it is desirable to feed this seaweed species to cows. ”Long-term effect unknown The rumen wall of 2 of the 12 cows was examined, and this revealed abnormalities and signs of inflammation, just as in sheep. This worries Muizelaar: “Bromoform in its pure form is harmful to health. Previous research has already shown this. It is not without reason that maximums have been set for the amount of bromoform that drinking water may contain. There are no maximum limits for foodstuffs. The fact that ...