Livestock Wala'au

S2 Ep 12 Meet Symbrosia and learn about Seagraze!

• Season 2 • Episode 12

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Aloha and thank you for tuning in to another episode of Livestock Walaʻau! In this episode we will be talking with Alexia Akbay, CEO, of Symbrosia and their team Lead of People and Culture, Heather Remo. We will be learning more about the company and their product called Seagraze! Check out the YouTube version to get behind the scenes look of our visit with Symbrosia! 

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Shannon Sand:

Today's episode is brought to you by the Western extension Risk Management Education Center wraps up USDA NIFA and the University of Hawaii College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and the livestock extension group.

Melelani Oshiro:

Aloha welcome to the livestock walaau a podcast aimed to provide educational support information, guidance and outreach to our livestock stakeholders in Hawaii. We are your host mele oshiro and sannan San and today we're gonna be talking with Alexia and Heather from Simba OSHA. Thank you, ladies for making the time to visit with us in person. I mean, we have not had very many opportunities to record a podcast in person. So, so excited to be here. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Shannon had the farthest drive.

Shannon Sand:

All right, you didn't have to drive? Like 50%?

Melelani Oshiro:

Yeah. So I guess let's just start if you guys want to just either want to start just give us a little background of your position here. And I claim to be Yeah, and a little bit about your company. Yeah,

Heather Remo:

I'll start. Yeah. I'm Heather. I'm the office and culture coordinator here. I was in the coffee industry for the past 10 years. So I'm just running the operations and everything. And then once I heard about some Broza, and the opening that they had here, I was just so excited that there is a clean tech startup in our tiny town here. It was super exciting. So I just took a shot at it and totally switched career paths. So I'm here now and just working with the team and doing awesome things like talking with you guys. So yeah, yeah,

Alexia Akbay:

she's been doing a great job since starting. But my name is Alexia, I've been working on feeding CV to cows for the past almost four years. My backgrounds in environmental chemistry. So I spend a lot of time in food systems and built environment and how those affect human health. So yeah, a little bit of a transition into like more of a commercial project, but research background.

Melelani Oshiro:

So yeah, I got to see Heather at the career fair and run into her there, but I think it's free. You know, I've heard of your program and some version of the products you guys are, are putting out there for livestock and cattle. So you want to kind of I guess, take us to Yeah, a little bit more about the product and like what you've been doing, and yeah, how it's you know, how it all works?

Shannon Sand:

Yeah.

Unknown:

Yeah, I guess when we started about three years ago, there was just some initial research out of Australia where they were profiling a bunch of different LIMU seaweeds for their potential to reduce methane. And they found this one species of seaweed called asparagopsis taxa, formas. And Hawaiian, it's Lemo, who native to the much of the Pacific that reduce the enteric methane by over 80%, with just a small average in the feed. And so this was just like kind of scratching the surface. Again, I was in food systems, and I was like, this is a pretty hot topic. Item, no more working on commercializing it. So I applied for a small grant, and kind of haven't looked back. Since then, it's been a really fun journey. But we've built out Don at mailhot Oh, tech, by the airport, Li mu Crop Science kind of program, and then have been working on scaling that up and getting it into the hands of local producers, and then also global

Shannon Sand:

company. So I think that was my that was kind of, we'll probably get into that later on where I was like, That is definitely a question. I wonder, I was like, because I was like, long, long term for this. Like, it seems like it could potentially be really big. Because I know that's a concern of a lot of different producers in different groups. Yeah.

Unknown:

So, ya know, being here, I mean, I'm tapped in, especially after COVID. And seeing all the changes in the livestock industry here that our product has a number of different kind of value add propositions and so getting to know more about the local industry, how that product can plug in here, it's been really rewarding and Heather's taking a lot of that work and community building forward to to make sure that, you know, we're integrating and providing the product for Hawaii as well. Yeah.

Melelani Oshiro:

So when you talk about the product, is it how is the product incorporated into feed? Is it a actual feed itself? Or is it a supplement that we're going to mix into a mineral mix? How does all that gonna work as far as like, peruse through producer he came to you? Yeah, he

Unknown:

got it. So for grazing systems, it's like a pelleted seaweed meal, okay. And then we do mix it in with mineral on pasture. It's kind of like a one to two ratio of two parts mineral, one part seaweed, and then because the minerals kind of self dosing They eat the amount of seaweed that they need to be eating to at the same time. So that's worked so far. And the research studies that we've done, and the methane reduction reduction effect is kind of prolonged for, like 70 hours. So as long as they're eating it like

Shannon Sand:

so two to three days, and basically afterwards, well, every couple as long as I get a little on every couple days, I would guess I

Melelani Oshiro:

mean, like, with all the research, you guys have done, like probably feeding trials and all that kinds of stuff. So have you had trials with just cattle? Or are you looking at other species as well? Right?

Shannon Sand:

That's a good question.

Unknown:

Yeah, we've done cattle trials, sheep trials to which are actually like, the most fun for me. I don't know. I like working with sheep. And then we're kicking off some larger dairy cattle, dairy cattle trials and beginning of next year,

Shannon Sand:

is that yeah, like you're on the mainland. I'm just making an assumption. If it's larger, it's probably not here.

Unknown:

Yeah. It's more of a safety trial, sir. We're doing it on the mainland. And Minnesota. is excited. Yeah. But obviously, there's some movement happening on Hawaii Island with getting theories back online. So be so great. We've been working with some of those organizations to to make sure that like if they launch a new product, that it could be sustainable or right. Yeah.

Shannon Sand:

I hear I hear climate smart. Yeah. Climate change friendly. I know they're trying to figure out verbiage for some of that right now.

Unknown:

Yeah, I think because the USDA use the climate smart. Yeah. verbiage. That's what we've

Melelani Oshiro:

opened or any of the trials, you guys running on just like confined feeding operations. Are you looking at the differences in grazing systems as well?

Unknown:

Yeah, we've been focused mostly on grazing. Maybe like naively, that's where we wanted to focus because that's where animals spend most of their life. And that's where most of the methane is produced them, as well. And so we wanted to find an option that, you know, producers could use instead of just feedlots, er, and then in the pasture to because like mineral is such a priority. The CB has like 90 Micro macro nutrients that are super bioavailable. So we're finding that

Shannon Sand:

that would be my other question. Because seaweed is generally like it is considered like a health thing. Like Like I'm not healthy. I mean, I'm healthy but you know what I mean? Like so it's like I guess that would be my other question is, are there other like well, mele is really good nutrition and stuff but like other like nutrients like Selenium or copper or sorry, Millie,

Melelani Oshiro:

we do you know, our industry here with beef cattle, even sheep and goats we suffer with not suffer. But I should say we have issues with copper deficiency across most of those ruminant species. So is that something that you think the seaweed has has shown to help improve? And with those minerals, it has

Unknown:

like copper, calcium, phosphorus, Selenium. And I'm not sure like exactly how the chemistry works. But I've been told that because it's in a plant substrate, it's way more bioavailable than usually out. Minerals. So maybe they can uptake and or absorb

Shannon Sand:

less than,

Melelani Oshiro:

yeah. Yeah, yeah, those dynamics are always so complicated, I think. And we have so many, like, antagonists that are out there in our feed. forages are ready, right, that that is another problem, not just how much can we feed them? Are they going to eat it than what's out there? That's going to steal it away, right? Or make it unavailable for them? So yeah, very good. That's very good. It's very interesting. So what's the process then? Like, from, I guess, growing the seaweed? And from that time, like, how long does it take to actually make the product?

Unknown:

Yeah, from seed to like, process product, it's about a three month window. Kind of like any other crop, we have our seed bank. And seasonally we grow different strains. So we have like, at least in Hawaii, like a summer and a winter strain, so and there's a lot of light, yeah, like needs to be more tolerant to heat and light stress versus in the winter. And then it starts in more of an indoor lab setting and then gets moved outside as the batch gets larger, so if anyone's familiar with cytotec dotnet know how it's a pretty similar process to growing like micro algae or spirits. Oh,

Shannon Sand:

that makes sense, though. Yeah. So yeah. Awesome. Awesome. So

Melelani Oshiro:

then you're you put that into a pellet? Is that done here on island you guys are able to do

Unknown:

over here? Yeah, so actually, the phenotype of it grows like an appellate horse. So that's kind of what we're buying off of. Now. When we dry it and process it, it stays in like a little ball. But we are working with the research female and helo to try to see if we could create more of a formulated palette.

Melelani Oshiro:

So the options would be to be keep it as a pellet, or incorporated into a sort of mineral supplement that's already out there. Awesome. Awesome. I guess when you're talking to producers, right? So we all know mineral supplementation and the benefits of this, but can you want to talk a little bit more about those interactions with the producers and how really this is going to benefit them? I mean, I guess sorry, on the cost breakdown and whatnot. That's really where they're gonna go, right. Is it is the money going to be there? Is it cost effective for them in their production?

Unknown:

Yeah, usually how I find the conversations going is that people are like, their interest is piqued a little bit. So I can like get in the door or go to the farm and have this initial conversation, because there's a lot of discussion about, like new revenue streams from creating carbon credits or changing practices. But what really kind of seals the deal or moves us forward to like pilot stage is that we talked about the mineral efficiencies, one, methane isn't being released from the animals, that carbon is going back into their metabolism. So we're seeing feed efficiency improvements.

Shannon Sand:

Oh, so there's like gains and feed efficiency. So I would think that that would potentially be something that would be for, because I was like, when when I think of grazing, I generally think of cow calf. Yeah, I was like, I would think that would be something that would be like, pick a lot of people's interests that do either grass, grass fed, finishing, or even grain fed. So I would think that would be something that like, because that's that feed efficiency is something that like people really,

Melelani Oshiro:

I mean, that's a game and yeah, the more efficient you are, your cattle are, you know, I mean, that's the money in your pocket. So,

Unknown:

so I'm not going in like trying to sell carbon credits. I'm like, I'm trying to sell like a nutritional product that's going to improve your unit economics and feed efficiency on the farm. Because methane is like a 20% energy loss. So we're seeing Wow, 15% Plus Improvements in gain. Yeah, that's really good.

Melelani Oshiro:

So if you're doing current trade trials, currently here on island right now,

Unknown:

you to actually recently so we improved our product a bit and did another palatability trial, which was cool. And then we're kicking off more trials in January with

Melelani Oshiro:

what do you find with patentability? I'm curious because cattle can be kind of finicky. Like we've done some grazing trials. It's amazing how they find something right in there. Because I remember doing a grazing trial when we're looking at fireweed stuff. And there's grass, I mean, everywhere, right? But and they'll take taking bites, and we're watching to see if they're actually going to eat the fire. We didn't find that little thing in there and just spit it out. Work your way around that. So have you what have you guys found with palatability for them?

Unknown:

Yeah, we changed our process a good bit since the last time we did patentability. And so before we had to, like add molasses or disguise it, but this time, they just chow down. Like they weren't even trying to avoid it in the mineral like they were just going at it. We were surprised. Yeah, too. Yeah, cuz we've done goats and sheep, and they're less picky. And we're like, okay, is this real? But then once we did that, you ah, it was like, pretty big breakthrough. For us, if you don't have to supplement anything? Yeah, yeah, that's good.

Melelani Oshiro:

That the less things that you got to add in right to get them to. And sometimes I feel like when you add those other molasses and things in there, those minerals just disappear, because they're going off of the sweet stuff that's in there. Right. So that, that helps them but still, you know, doesn't help you in the pocket if you're eating out more than they need. So

Unknown:

kind of talked about to like, the perception around. Yeah, please. Yeah, what it's been. So that's been very interesting in actually, they've shown a lot of interests and a lot of support, and that and I think the biggest thing for us is making it as easy as possible for them. And showing that, you know, you're not going to have to do anything majorly different in your operation. And also, you know, so many people have been viewing the cows as the culprit, like we've heard that a lot like the cows are the bad guys. And, and we're trying to change that perception of you know, it's not the cows. Yeah. And we're trying to do our part and just helping the ranchers in any way we can with being supportive in that. So it's been really awesome to start to form those relationships with them, especially here on island. Yeah,

Melelani Oshiro:

yeah, that's great. That's great to hear. And I think important, because we need to be sort of, yeah. And kind of be the advocates for them to say, you know, and it's hard because we didn't have these conversations. We're kind of all on the same page. We know, we understand what's going on, it's a matter of how can we share that with everybody else, you know, and these are things that I think we can show in the industry that we're trying to do to be proactive and address these kinds of things that are going to come up, you know, so, yeah, yeah. So I guess that's the other thing. My question is, you know, majority of producers here in Ireland are cow calf. And so, you know, we don't have too many stalkers. But we do have a lot of people that do grass finish on here. So do you how or what kind of impact do you think the product would have on a grass Finishing System? And is there any work you're going to look at in the carcass quality or meat quality of those attributes to come out?

Unknown:

Yeah, I think what we're hearing is like The Matrix citement is decreasing the time on pasture. Oh, wow. Yeah, essentially, right. So and like a feedlot for feed efficiency, you could like feed loss or they would, you know, gain weight faster, but we could decrease the time on pasture. So that's the big win. And then yeah, totally looking at anyone that processes their meat. Here. Kumar, I'm looking at carcass quality and the quality, who following. There has been some academic research and there hasn't been a thing like statistically significant between the quality, so great. But that's case panels are always

Melelani Oshiro:

be quality and just looking at carcass quality stuff with our researcher, Melanie, and we keep saying we need to do a tasting room because we haven't tasted Senator at the university that we can do sensory panels and whatnot for some like we're again, let's do that. So, yeah, yeah, that'd be interesting. To my side, I'm always curious of how those types of different feed supplements kind of change, you know, the complex of meat and whatnot in those additives in there. So not very interesting. And you know, I think that's the key factor with grass finish, too. Is that time on pasture and the age that these animals can go? Yeah, they can go to slaughter? And be ready. Exactly. Yeah.

Unknown:

Yeah. So So yeah, like our long term vision would be to, you know, help support more local farmers to process them beef here. If it's more economically viable, shorter time on pasture, then maybe we could have more processing?

Melelani Oshiro:

Definitely. And I think that's some of the return back from it is because you have to hold him for longer. So that's amount of time. And you know, you're holding on to that, that asset for you, instead of having to be with your money every day. You have to keep it long. Yeah, exactly. So yeah, definitely. That's very interesting. I'm excited to kind of see where it goes. And we're gonna get excited, because we need to go and see the actual tour and operation. So yeah, those anything else, you guys are showing us something else?

Shannon Sand:

I was gonna say it was like, so it's like, it's, it sounds like this has a potential to be pretty, pretty large. I was like, so do you have plans to like scale up in the future? Because it sounds like you have additional fee trials. And a lot of people are interested in this. So is this gonna be like more publicly available? Because I was like, obviously, this is released to everybody. And I know you all have been like doing a lot of like research for the last few years related to this, like you said, so. Like, this, to me seems like something given the current momentum, like in society in general, that could be really, really like, advantageous to a lot of people. So yeah, yeah.

Unknown:

Luckily, down here at OTech. I mean, the zone is like, agriculturally zoned, but it's for aquaculture. So there is other space and leased lands to scale production. So that's our current plan. I wish we could go faster, but like, bring a new species to market has taken a lot of work. But yeah, we're totally working on kind of shifting from r&d Now to commercial, getting a packaged product. Yeah. In the market.

Melelani Oshiro:

So it's not available yet in the market. These are only available to those producers that you're doing trials and sort of what not,

Shannon Sand:

okay, if someone was interested, if you're looking for like people, is there like a way for them to contact you or

Unknown:

Yeah, on our website, we have a form that producers can fill out if they're interested in a trial. There's like some criteria that we're looking for now, just because there's still some data collection. So like having a scale on your farm or being able to collect data for thought. The other thing that we're really working on is, I think, like the whole carbon credit and climate smart. Commodities is still very vague. In the area. And Heather and I both come from like, I grew up in small business, your operations background, like we're not trying to throw around, like some pie in the sky dreams, like we've been really working on getting clear, like processes in place. Like if you wanted to carbon credit, this is exactly what you do. This is, you know, who you are, what you should be looking out for, if you're working with anyone that might be offering you Yeah, these opportunities. So

Shannon Sand:

I just think that sounds like I mean, the real exciting product.

Melelani Oshiro:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, a product that is, can be produced locally here, you know, and if it's going to be the local input is going appraisers Yeah. So yeah, especially in the grass finish side, you know, I mean, we didn't finish

Shannon Sand:

1020 30 days in advance of where they usually are. I mean, that's yeah, that's money in the pocket. Yeah. Yeah. That's, I mean, that's how I look

Melelani Oshiro:

COURAGING for other people to have more grass finish, you know, here and maybe encourage there's a lot of processes that have the capacity to support that. So yeah, very good. Very interesting. And I know you guys have anything else you want to add free. No, no.

Shannon Sand:

Thank you, Heather, and Alexia, for joining us today. We hope our listeners found this informative and that it'll be useful to them. Also, if you have not done so already, please fill out our feedback fest to let us know how we're doing and if there's any other people that are doing really kind of like this is really innovative. I was like I'm so excited. I was like to see where this goes in the future. Things like this, please let us know so that you can have your voice heard. And so that we know what you would like to hear more of

Melelani Oshiro:

make sure to follow us on our social media pages ally SOQL our livestock extension group. If you haven't already, be sure to visit the U H. CTAHR. Extension website and our YouTube panel which will be listed in our show notes.

Shannon Sand:

Yes. And for additional information about this topic, see the show notes, send us an email all of that jazz. And thank you for listening to the livestock vault out but before we go show some love to your favorite podcast. That's us by the way, and leave us a review wherever you're listening to this podcast and then stay tuned for next month's episode.

Melelani Oshiro:

Yeah, thanks again to our sponsors. The western extension Risk Management Education Center wraps up USDA NIFA, the livestock extension group and CTAHR Mala for listening. We hope