Animal feed

Coastal livestock have probably fed on seaweed for centuries and it’s still an important source of nutritious feed for farms today.

Next time you are in a field, look for brightly coloured plastic tubs - they might be winter feed licks for animals and they more than often contain seaweed.

Seaweed is a good source of nutrients and can be a beneficial addition to an animal's diet. It is high in fiber, minerals, and trace elements, and some types of seaweed also contain vitamins and amino acids. Cows, goats, and sheep, can graze on seaweed in the wild or be fed seaweed as a supplement in their diet. Other animals, such as horses, dogs and birds, can also be fed seaweed.

Seaweed can be fed to animals in a variety of forms, including fresh, dried, as part of a lick or as a seaweed meal or pellet.

However, it is important to be cautious when introducing seaweed to an animal's diet, as some types of seaweed can be toxic if consumed in large quantities. Fresh seaweed should be washed thoroughly to remove any sand or debris before feeding it to animals.

References:

Chickens https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fanim.2022.998042/full