Tasmanian Red Meat Producers – Nexus – Biochar Project
Nicoli Barnes, University of Tasmania
It has been suggested that biochar improves animal health and liveweight gain. It has also been suggested that biochar reduces enteric methane and, by increasing carbon content in the manure, may improve soil carbon over time. Together these effects would theoretically reduce whole farm emissions. In an MLA-funded research programme, we are testing this theory using in a farm experiment near Deloraine, Tasmania.
In this experiment, we are using “FeedChar”, a high-quality commercially-available mineral-charcoal feed supplement for livestock. We hypothesise that by increasing rumen surface area, calves fed FeedChar will grow faster, leading to higher liveweight at the sale age of 18 months and thus greater profitability.
As biochar passes undegraded through the rumen, there may also be an associated impact on soil organic carbon through animal manure. Peer-reviewed evidence suggests that biochar supplementation can reduce enteric methane emissions. The project team will model the impact of biochar supplementation on whole farm green house gas emissions balance, accounting for changes in liveweight gain, soil carbon, enteric methane emissions and lifetime GHG emissions.
As this trial proceeds we are looking for other Red Meat Producers to be involved in a project that looks at their possible take up of a Biochar feed adaption as both a greenhouse gas emission adaption and for liveweight gain in livestock. This activity will occur later in the year. If you have an interest in seeing how Biochar is being used in livestock production in Tasmania or for more information please contact with matthew.harrison@utas.edu.au or nicoli.barnes@utas.edu.au.
