Reed litter pellets

In this project, the company Sjöutsikt gom Jens and Fredrik Holmén will recirculate nutrients from waterways and back onto land and at the same time develop a completely new product. Currently, the company only harvests green summer reeds for reed feed, primarily for horses. Their goal is to expand their operations by also creating a product from the withered winter reeds. The product they intend to create is litter and reed pellets. This means that they cut the withered winter reeds, chop them and pellet them. In animal husbandry in Sweden, there is a lack of good environmentally friendly alternatives to the litter and pellet alternatives that are sold today. They have spoken to several horse owners and researchers at SLU, all of whom are unanimously very interested in trying out how reeds work as a litter alternative. It is worth mentioning from an environmental point of view that many horse owners use peat as litter, which is a very poor alternative from an environmental point of view.

In the project, Sjöutsikt will purchase a pellet press, a workbench and a work shed. During the winter season 2024/2025, they will explore and try making reed pellets. The trial operation will be stationed at one of their harvesting areas in Upplandsbygd, Hargsbruk. Since they are on site at the beach, they also need a small work shed that they can use for storage, lunch, toilet visits, and to warm themselves in during stressful weather conditions.

Sjöutsikt develops unique machines for harvesting reeds. With the machines, they harvest and ensile reeds for horse feed and sell them primarily to horse owners. The entire production chain from harvesting to finished ensiled reed feed takes place at the harvest site and is shipped directly to the customer. No storage facilities are needed and thus no unnecessary transport. Sjöutsikt has participated in several project collaborations with SLU over a 4-year period where reeds as feed have been tested with good results. Sjöutsikt is now looking for new product areas for reeds and the idea of reeds as bedding and pellets has received good feedback.

Motivation of the Board:

The company takes advantage of a "residue" (reed) and processes it into bedding and also takes nutrients back from water to land. The project develops a completely new product, it is an innovation at a fairly high level. The company is stable and this project could mean another branch of the company.

Support 50,000 SEK