Academics are investigating whether pig poo could fuel farms of the future.

Specifically, Murdoch University researchers are investigating whether the effluent from piggeries can be effectively treated with micro and macroalgae so that species of the organism can be safely fed back to pigs.

$300,000 will be spent to investigate the proposal, which would cut costs, recover energy from waste and reduce the potential for groundwater contamination at piggeries.

So far, researchers have discovered three different types of microalgae that can grow on untreated piggery anaerobic digestate effluent, which typically contains extremely high levels of ammonium.

Anaerobic digestion in lagoons or ponds on farms is currently the most common method used to process piggery waste. The discovery is a world first and offers a potentially cost effective means of remediating piggery effluent.

They have found that microalgae remove ammonia, other nutrients and potentially reduce the pathogen load in the effluent, meaning that the treated waste water can be reused.

The algal biomass produced is potentially a protein rich food source for pigs and other animals, although study leader Dr Navid Moheimani says extensive testing would be required.

“We have high hopes that this method of treating effluent will ensure the algal biomass produced can be fed back to the pigs which will make Australian piggeries much less wasteful and more cost competitive,” said Dr Moheimani.

“Of course if this works for pigs, it could also work for different livestock.

“Pig slurry could well be viewed by the industry as a resource rather than a waste management issue.”

The team is looking at methods to optimise the growth of the microalgae on the effluent and are bioprospecting for suitable species of macroalgae to grow on piggery effluent.

The anaerobic digestion process currently used in piggeries produces a low quality fertiliser as well as biogas, which is a renewable energy source consisting mostly of methane and carbon dioxide.

This is already used on many farms to generate electricity.

If they find the micro and macroalgae grown on effluent is unfit for consumption by pigs, Dr Moheimani said his team will investigate how algae can help to maximise biogas production from piggery effluent.

“Australian pork producers are a resourceful group, as demonstrated by the successful uptake of energy replacement by the capture and use of biogas on-farm and this work complements the environmental credentials of pork producers while exploring the possibility of producing a food source or a co-digestion product for bioenergy output,” said Dr Rob Wilson, the leader of Murdoch Uni’s Pork CRC.