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Farming Today: 12/11/21 - Native seaweed research, milk prices and the history of ploughing matches

12/11/21 - Native seaweed research, milk prices and the history of ploughing matches

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 12/11/21 - Native seaweed research, milk prices and the history of ploughing matches

Can native seaweed be used as a feed additive to reduce methane emissions from cattle?

Feeding red seaweed to cattle has already been shown to reduce methane emissions - can native UK seaweed also work?

The UK has signed a global pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030, including from cattle and other ruminants. Feeding red seaweed to cattle has already been shown to reduce methane emissions. But red seaweed only grows in warm waters, so studies are now being carried out into the use of British and Irish seaweeds as an animal feed additive.

The price farmers are paid for milk is going up - but there are warnings that it won’t be enough. While many processors have announced they will be paying farmers more this autumn, reports from both consultants and industry bodies agree that more price increases will be needed to keep up with the rising costs of producing milk. 

And this year saw the 70th British National Ploughing Championship, a contest built on a tradition which goes back hundreds of years. We learn more about where these competitions came from.

Presented by Charlotte Smith
Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

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12/11/21 - Native seaweed research, milk prices and the history of ploughing matches

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