Peter H Janssen

IntroductionThe forestomachs of ruminant animals contain a great diversity of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms that together break down and ferment the feed ingested by the host animal. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs), such as acetate, propionate and butyrate, are formed, together with varying amounts of hydrogen (H2). Methanogenic archaea in the rumen use H2 to gain energy, producing methane ...