Project

Contact: PD Dr. rer. nat. habil. Björn Kuhla

Duration: 2025-2029

Funding: EFRE (State Funding Institute M-V)

Abstract:

Recent studies show that the addition of certain types of algae to ruminant diets has health-promoting effects and contributes to a reduction in rumen-specific methane release of up to 98%. The algae contain unique sulphated polysaccharides and other ingredients that are converted by the microorganisms in the rumen into short-chain organic fatty acids (including acetate and propionate) and bioactive compounds. The underlying physiological and biochemical processes of algal biomass conversion in the rumen are still largely unknown. In Alg4Nut, a new multi-institutional consortium will work in close interdisciplinary collaboration as part of the State Excellence Initiative to investigate the effects of feeding algae native to the Baltic Sea, such as the green alga Ulva sp. and the red alga Porphyra sp. to cows during calving on animal health, nutrient utilisation, milk quality and methane emissions. At the same time, algae utilisation as a component of nutrient cycles is being investigated. One focus of the project is the systematic and in-depth elucidation of the function of the rumen microbiome with regard to the turnover of algae constituents and the production of health-promoting substances. To identify the key organisms and characterise relevant metabolic pathways and metabolites, a variety of modern omics methods will be used in combination with classical biochemistry, microbiological cultivation and high-resolution methods for analysing the polysaccharides. Individual key microorganisms and enzymes will also be tested for their biotechnological suitability for the conversion of algal polysaccharides. The health-promoting and immunological effects of algae extracts and key microorganisms will be investigated in vitro using established cell culture systems. In addition to the comprehensive fundamental scientific findings, the project will develop concepts for feeding algae to ruminants and test the cultivation of algae in the field in a feasibility study. The results of the project form the basis for a new branch of the bioeconomy in the coastal and agricultural state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.