In a recent study, Dr. Wade Abbott and colleagues reveal that cattle harbour gut microbes capable of digesting seaweed-derived marine sugars.

The team identified enzymes that enable these microbes to break down complex carbohydrates (sugars) found in seaweed, shedding light on what they call the “latent trait hypothesis”—the idea that beneficial microbes persist at low levels until specific dietary components trigger their expansion.

“We’re only beginning to understand the genetic mechanisms that allow gut microbes to process these marine sugars,” Abbott said. “If we can map those pathways fully, the applications go well beyond cattle. We’re talking about a new framework for sustainable agriculture, one that embraces unconventional feed sources and works with the biology that’s already there, waiting to be activated.”

While Abbott notes that seaweed is too expensive to replace traditional feeds such as hay, the research suggests it could have value as a feed supplement, with potential benefits for animal health, including as an alternative to antimicrobials or as an immunity booster.

The team’s research was published in Nature Communications.

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