Global E-Services Weekly newsletter
Nov. 08, 2020 | Issue 2
Seagrass Technology as the coming revolution in Dairy Production
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Seagrass Technology 'Mapped Out'
Although little is yet published on the use of this new fine, high-energy feedstock for dairy feeding as fodders, Biotech/Agro-Life will most likely ante up as both private and multi-national enterprises for research and development (R&D) using the ff.: 1) seagrass culturing, 2) bioinformatics, and 3) cell molecular genetics and manipulation for "plant pharming" of enzymes, hormones (e. g. insulin, hGH, hGRH, vaccines and other biopharma).

Bioengineering, amongst other engineering enterprises, will be needed for designing and building infrastructure for the pilot plant facility & equipment / instrumentation / computer hardware & software; there is projected direct from sea-to-plant piping of saline through a built coastal pump/filtration housing or system. There will also be a need to design and build infrastructure for downstream extraction of "plant pharma" that will presumably adjoin the central pilot plant facility. There will also be a feed pelleting facility for byproduct to be sold by "agri-retailers' to market - farming communities, to capitalize on this potentially hi-quality (HQ) feedstock. Another option (for the future) is a bioethanol component fermentation plant also using this potentially HQ energy feedstock.

There is a need down the road to market research the opinion of farmers as to their readiness and willingness to purchase and use pelleted feedstock or feed resources as byproduct from "plant pharming" operators in urban and peri-urban vicinities with respect to the commercial plant facility.

Issues included are: feed efficiency claims with respect to productive output (e. g. milk production per cow or goats per day) or beef and goat meat in average daily gains (ADG) from dressed body weight. There will be a need for farmers to balance the ration prior to pelleting with binder (molasses and nitrogen / sulfur (N /S) and other macro- & microminerals & vitamins) and with grain and added long, chopped fibre for greater intake and nitrogen (N)-protein output to the intestines for utilization.

One other issue is as to what degree of integration of farming operations (co-op or commercial) is made between the infrastructural complex or facility for seagrass technology and farm feed operations as business expands to more rural areas including capital outlay, investor confidence, financial management, proximity parameters of labour, transportation costs to greater outlying areas, costs of energy inputs and saline sourcing from the coast or sea, if need be.