Algaecouldboostlivestockproductivity

19August2014
Beefproducerscouldsoonbenefitfromaproteinrichandsustainablelivestockfeedsupplementintheformofmicroalgae.
TheUniversityofQueenslandhasestablishedanAlgaeEnergyFarmtocultivateandharvestmicroalgaeforarangeofuses,includingasafeed
supplementforbeefcattle.
TheAlgaeEnergyFarm,establishedbyUQsSchoolofAgricultureandFoodScienceswithassistancefromMeatandLivestockAustralia,isan
offgrid250,000litredemonstrationfarmatUQsPinjarraHillscampus.
LeadresearcherProfessorPeerSchenksaidthefarmshowedthatalgaecouldbegrowneasilyinAustralianconditions,leveragingfeedand
fuel,andwithoutcompetingforarablelandneededforfoodproduction.
WeareworkingcloselywithAustralianprimaryproducerstoproduceproteinrichfeedtomeetthenutritionalneedsofcattleandother
livestock,ProfessorSchenksaid
Suchafeedsourcewouldhelpmitigatelargeseasonalvariationsinpasturenutritivevalueandboostcattlegrowth.
TheUQAlgaeEnergyFarmwasofficiallyopenedtoday(Tuesday19August)byMinisterforAgricultureJohnMcVeigh.
UQ,includingtheQueenslandAllianceforAgricultureandFoodInnovation,hasworkedcloselywithMeatandLivestockAustraliaandXstrata
Technologytoestablishthispilotalgaefarm,MrMcVeighsaid.
AgricultureisoneofthefourpillarsofourQueenslandeconomyanditispleasingtoseecollaborationbetweendifferentgroupstoestablish
technologieswhichwillassistthebeefindustrygrow,hesaid.
UQViceChancellorandPresidentProfessorPeterHjsaidtheUniversitywasdelightedtotargetitsresearchexcellenceconfirmedlastweek
withaprestigiousglobaluniversitiesrankingof37thforlifeandagriculturalsciencestoaprojectwithprospectivebenefitsforindividual
farmers,theindustryandtheeconomy.
BeingabletoworkwithMeatandLivestockAustraliaanduseXstratatechnologyenabledtheresearcherstoworktowardsafarmready
solutionsuitableforthetoughconditionsfacedbysomanyAustralianproducers,ProfessorHjsaid.
Suchindustrypartnershipshelpturnexcellentresearchintohighqualityoutcomesforsociety,theeconomyandtheenvironmentaprocess
oftranslationthatwecallexcellenceplus.
ProfessorSchenksaidthefactthatdryseasonpastureinnorthernAustraliawastypicallylowinproteinandenergyactedasaconstrainton
beefproduction.
Microalgaewouldhelpwithmanagementofprolongeddryconditions,suchasthoseaffectingmuchofQueensland,hesaid.
Thechallengeistodeveloptechnologythatcanbereadilyandcosteffectivelyappliedonbeefpropertiesasahomegrownsourceofhigh
qualityproteinfeed.
ThetechnologyusedbyUQisfarmreadyandcanusevirtuallyanytypeofwater,whichmeansthatcultivationofmicroalgaeoffersacost
effectivewayofproducingfeedandfuelallyearroundwithminimaluseoflandandwater.
ThePinjarraHillsfarmcanproduceabout50tonnesofalgalbiomassand60barrels(about12,480litres)ofbiodieselperhectareayear.
XstrataTechnologyprovidedUQwithminingindustryflotationtechnologyanXTJamesonCellforaninemonthtrial.Earlyresultsshowit
hassignificantlyincreasedalgaeproduction.
Media:UniversityofQueensland,communications@uq.edu.au,33651120.MinisterMcVeigh,LouiseGillis0408709160.

Sharelink:
http://tinyurl.com/oat7r4p

SubscribetotheUQNewsweeklynewsletter
Subscribe

(https://twitter.com/share?
(https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?
(https://plusone.google.com/_/+1/confirm?
text=Algae
u=http://tinyurl.com/oat7r4p&p[title]=Algae
hl=en&url=http://tinyurl.com/oat7r4p)

Research,Science

could

could

boost

boost

livestock
livestock

productivity
productivity

&url=http://tinyurl.com/oat7r4p&via=uq_news)
&display=popup)

HidinginplainsightanewspeciesdiscoveredinSouthEastQueensland27July2015

Thefruitflymayknowit'sbuggingyou24July2015

Thefruitflymayknowit'sbuggingyou24July2015

Scientistsseerisksinbiodiversityoffsetsmisuse23July2015

Killerseasnailatargetfornewdrugs7July2015

Environment+Sustainability,UQ&Community,StLucia

CelebratingUQsfamousfoliage24July2015

Agriculture+Food

UQledprojecttoguideanimalwelfarestandardsinAsia21July2015

ElNiocouldslash2015wheatharvest:plantscientist7July2015

Health+Medicine,Research,Students

Researchtounlockstudydopingfacts10July2015

Health+Medicine,Research

Newdaysettoraisebrainawareness1July2015

RecentHeadlines

V8Supercardriverschaseacceleratedresults30July2015

Swimmerinthefastlanetosuccess30July2015

Drinkingatconceptionboostsdiabetesriskforbaby:UQstudy30July2015

2014earthquakestudylookedattsunamirisks30July2015
Moreheadlines

TheConversation
WheretoputthefirstelectriccarchargestationintheSunshineState
31July2015

Friendorfoe:whattheshapeofyourfacesaysaboutyou
29July2015

BarnesvsReclaimAustralia:doesKheSanhworkasaconservativeprotestsong?
24July2015

FactCheck:istheGSTasefficientbutlessequitablethanincometax?
24July2015

WritersandpublishersareallatseaunderBrandisandtheNPEA
21July2015
ReadmoreUQarticlesonTheConversation