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Enteric methane mitigation of the rumen with acetogens

Enteric methane from livestock contributes to over a quarter of methane emissions from human activities worldwide. This greenhouse gas is mainly emitted by ruminants, such as cattle and sheep, that rely on the fermentative activity of various microorganisms to produce volatile fatty acids (VFA) in other to sustain their energy, sugar, and fat needs. Methane is produced at the end of this fermentation process by a group of microorganisms called methanogens, which play an essential role in the rumen system in maintaining hydrogen gas concentrations low. Hydrogen accumulation in the rumen is inhibitory to bacteria that produce VFA. As farmers start to find solutions in the market to inhibit methanogens activity, hydrogen accumulation could affect the performance of feed consumption. My research aims to find alternative microbes, known as acetogens, that can thrive in the rumen system by substituting the role of methanogens in keeping hydrogen concentration low but producing more VFA of interest to the animal instead of methane. My goal is to help develop a tool for farmers to increase productivity as they tackle methane emissions from livestock.