Grainswest - Fall 2026

Fall 2026 grainswest.com 45 BY SCOTT MEEBERG • PHOTO COURTESY OF OLDS COLLEGE Seaweed products tested for use on the Prairies Fromoceantofarm FROM LAB TO FIELD RESEARCHERS FROM THE OLDS College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) carried out trials to evaluate the effective- ness of seaweed products as an additive to cattle feed and are now studying its use as crop biostimulants. Funded in part by Emissions Reduction Alberta, these applied research projects explore how seaweed products can potentially reduce costs, optimize inputs and improve plant and animal growth and health. LIVESTOCK RESEARCH Led by Yaogeng Lei, research scientist at the Olds College Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production, the project team completed a two-stage trial that evaluated a sugar kelp byproduct as a supplement in beef cattle feed. The seaweed is sustainably grown along the Saanich Peninsula on Vancouver Island by Cascadia Seaweed of Sidney, B.C. In the first stage, researchers conducted an in vitro laboratory study to evaluate the effect of seaweed on rumen fermentation. This was done with the aid of an artifi- cial digestive system that replicates the conditions in a cow’s rumen with the use of actual rumen fluid with artificial saliva. The team evaluated seaweed inclusion rates that ranged from 0.5 per cent up to five per cent of feed. They measured key metrics such as nutrient digestibility, vol- atile fatty acids and ammonia production. Initial laboratory results confirmed no negative effects on rumen fermentation. The project advanced to a live ani- mal feeding trial at a safe one per cent inclusion rate. The trial yielded positive behavioural and nutritional outcomes. The cattle accepted the diet without neg- ative impacts on feeding behaviour, daily activity or weight gain. A methane-emissions trial was con- ducted using GreenFeed equipment, a system used to capture and measure a range of green- house gases produced by individual animals. The narrow trough-like unit dispenses feed. As a cow eats, its breath is drawn into a vacuum system for analysis. The collected data indicated no signifi- cant difference in emis- sions. The seaweed-fed cattle also achieved higher digestibility of dry matter and starch, which indi- cated improved nutrient utilization. As well, testing revealed higher white blood cell counts in cattle that received the seaweed mix. This indicated proac- tive benefits to the cows’ immune systems. CROP RESEARCH OCCI’s crop research team, led by Shabeg Briar, is also exploring how seaweed may enhance crop production. Kelpivex liquid kelp extract and RegenaKelp biostimu- lant from Cascadia Seaweed are being applied to barley, canola and wheat. As synthetic fertilizer and input costs remain high, Alberta’s farmers seek sustainable methods to maintain crop yield while lowering input expenses. Seaweed-based biostimulants offer the promise of a natu- ral mechanism to enhance plant nutrient uptake efficiency and improve health and productivity. Initial findings from the crop project in- dicate plants treated with the two seaweed products can maintain or even exceed standard yields while they utilize up to 30 per cent less synthetic fertilizer. Beyond grain yield performance, the project is val- idating real-world application methods by testing tank-mix compatibility under field conditions. This will ensure these marine biostimulants can be seamlessly integrated into standard farming practices alongside common herbicides and fungicides. Whether applied to field crops or blend- ed into cattle feed, the OCCI seaweed experiments demonstrate the potential power of these alternative solutions. By using ocean-cultivated seaweed as agricul- tural inputs, farmers could gain sustaina- ble solutions to enhance feed digestibility, improve crop yield and lower reliance on synthetic inputs. Scott Meeberg is the communications lead for research at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology. Using a piece of equipment that replicates a cow’s digestive system, researchers tested the use of seaweed in cattle feed.