Number 8 Bio secures $7m for scalable methane-reducing feed additives in cattle
Investors include Main Sequence, Breakthrough Victoria, and The March Group.
The funds will support cattle trials, the development of a new production facility in Sydney, team expansion, and the establishment of commercial partnerships.
“We’re building a production unit with the capacity to deliver 30,000 doses per day in a small warehouse with minimal equipment. The concept is highly scalable,” says CEO and co-founder, Dr Tom Williams.
He and Dr Alex Carpenter, both experienced synthetic biologists, founded Number 8 Bio after working together in academic research.
Screening model
Using an automated and miniaturized rumen model developed in-house, Number 8 Bio has screened hundreds of product variants, identifying a few with strong potential as methane inhibitors in both cattle and sheep. “Our goal is to find ingredients that not only lower methane emissions but also enhance the production of volatile fatty acids, which support animal growth."
When we last spoke to the team in July 2023, the company was still focused on leveraging yeast to produce bromoform, a methane inhibitor. Since then, its approach has evolved.
"Seaweed produces bromoform along with other useful organohalides, and we discovered that our engineered yeast could do the same—not just producing bromoform, but other compounds as well. Through our lab work and cattle trials, we found that there wasn’t much difference between using a mixture of these organohalides and using synthetic bromoform alone. Indeed, focusing solely on bromoform is significantly cheaper and much more scalable,” explains Dr Williams.
While bromoform-based solutions are ideal for beef feedlots due to extensive research on seaweed in that context, he maintains that the dairy industry is more cautious about adopting such technology because of concerns about additive residues in milk. This factor has prompted the team to explore non-bromoform alternatives as well.
Two-pronged approach
Number 8 Bio is currently testing a combination of synergistic ingredients and prebiotics. Such a two-pronged solution, they believe, will set them apart from competitors:
“Our products have a dual mechanism: they inhibit methane emissions while promoting beneficial bacteria that consume hydrogen and produce nutrients,” he tells us, with the CEO adding that reducing methane emissions beyond 90% can harm the rumen’s normal functioning due to hydrogen buildup, which is typically consumed by methanogens.
The company has been running trials in collaboration with the Queensland Animal Science Precinct (QASP) and the University of New England (UNE) to validate the technology’s effectiveness. A study is also planned for later this year in partnership with Agriculture Victoria.
Regulatory pathway
Number 8 Bio plans to begin the international regulatory approval process next year for its technology.
"In Australia, methane mitigation claims are not regulated by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and only need to be scientifically substantiated. We expect to launch a product on the Australian market next year, followed by international markets once the necessary approvals are obtained."
Pioneers in the field
Asked about the significant number of pioneering Australian companies working on seaweed-based methane inhibitors—such as Sea Forest, Rumin8, SeaStock, and CleanEyre Global—Dr Williams comments: "Australia is at the forefront of innovation in this field, likely due to the groundbreaking seaweed research that originated here."
FutureFeed, established by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), an Australian Government agency, holds the global intellectual property for using Asparagopsis seaweed as a livestock feed ingredient, which has been shown to reduce methane emissions in ruminants by over 80%.
