ABSTRACT
Methane production by ruminants is influenced by various factors such as the physical and chemical characteristics of the feed, the feeding schedule and the feed additives. Methane is derived from ingested feed and therefore diet composition, while intake can be used to manipulate fermentation by altering the microbial interactions through feed additives, that is, direct fed microbials. Methane is a prominent GHG which is found in natural wetlands, rice fields, livestock and biomass burning. It is emitted through human activities such as the production and transport of coal, natural gases and oil, as well as naturally, through animal fermentations and gas deposits, such as peatlands. The microbial composition of the rumen, the fore-stomach of the ruminant animal, has a major influence on the feed digestion and the release of end products, such as methane, into the environment. The rumen is home to a vast array of protozoa, anaerobic fungi, anaerobic bacteria and archaea.
