Lower-cost Spirulina medium shows promise for Southern Africa

A new Frontiers in Veterinary Science study suggests that Spirulina cultivation could become markedly cheaper in Southern Africa by replacing standard Zarrouk medium with an NPK fertilizer-based alternative. Researchers at Botswana International University of Science and Technology found that a supplemented NPK medium, labeled T7, produced 31% more biomass than the standard medium while cutting growth-media costs by 63%. Protein content was broadly maintained, although chlorophyll and phycocyanin levels were lower, and the authors said further nutritional and safety analysis is still needed before wider feed use. (frontiersin.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals working in livestock systems, the study speaks to a persistent regional problem: feed scarcity and feed cost in semi-arid Southern Africa, where drought and seasonal forage gaps continue to constrain animal productivity. Spirulina has long been discussed as a high-protein alternative feed ingredient, but cost has limited adoption. If lower-cost cultivation methods prove scalable and safe, they could expand local feed options for producers facing climate pressure, especially in regions like Botswana where feed shortages and drought relief measures have been recurring concerns. Still, broader evidence on digestibility, formulation, species-specific performance, and economics at farm scale will matter more than biomass yield alone. (frontiersin.org)

What to watch: Watch for follow-up work on feed safety, nutrient consistency, and on-farm livestock trials before this cultivation approach moves from promising lab result to practical ration ingredient. (frontiersin.org)