UNDERSTANDING HOST, MICROBIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND MANAGEMENT FACTORS TOWARDS METHANE MITIGATION IN RUMINANTS

We plan to quantify host, microbial, environmental and management factors that influence methane production in ruminants. Specifically, we will pursue the following objectives:1) Intensively phenotype dairy and beef cattle using indirect calorimetry for methane production, whole animal energy and nitrogen utilization while simultaneously collecting animal genomic data and phenotypic information of the microbiome through metagenome shotgun sequencing.2) Identify specific animal genetic, and microbial features that contribute towards or inhibit methane production to develop science-based intervention strategies for methane mitigation.3) Develop new microbial colonization methods based on colonization history and funder hypothesis of microbial establishment to develop microbiomes with capacity to decrease methane production.4) Develop science-based microbiome intervention strategies and applied practices and deliver educational opportunities to help stakeholders mitigate methane production in ruminants.