By Imogen Bailey | 13 July 2021
M.J. Bale has completed a world-first commercial trial to create carbon neutral wool, in partnership with Kingston Farm and Sea Forest Tasmania.
48 of Kingston Farm s Merino ewes were involved in the 300-day trial, which aimed to reduce sheep methane emissions to undetectable levels via daily feeds of asparagopsis seaweed.
The trial was informed by the CSIRO s pioneering research into the use of native asparagopsis seaweed as a food supplement to disrupt sheep enteric fermentation.
According to Australia s National Greenhouse Accounts 2014, enteric fermentation from ruminant livestock (sheep, cattle and goats) contributes approximately 10% of total greenhouse-gas emissions across Australia.