New Research Reveals Effective Method to Reduce Methane Emissions in Ruminant Livestock

New research led by the University of Florida has discovered a novel microbial metabolic strategy to mitigate ruminal methane emissions in ruminant livestock. The study, published in the Science of The Total Environment journal, found that kombucha, a fermented beverage, effectively reduces methane emissions by modulating ruminal fermentation. The research team, led by Min-Jin Kwak, demonstrated that kombucha significantly reduced methane emissions by 34.72% compared to the control group and 26.28% compared to a treatment group using 3-NOP.

Key Takeaways:

• Kombucha was found to be an effective methane-reducing agent, reducing methane emissions by 34.72% and 26.28% compared to the control and 3-NOP treatment groups, respectively.
• The research team identified Komagataeibacter intermedius SLAM-NK6B as a key strain underlying the methane-reducing effect of kombucha.
• The genome of SLAM-NK6B encodes biosynthetic gene clusters for cellulose, malate, citrate, and methanobactin-metabolites that can modulate the rumen microbiota.
• SLAM-NK6B supplementation reduced methanogen abundance by 53.32% and increased hydrogen pressure, shifting microbial metabolism.
• Excluding acetate, VFA production increased significantly, with propionate levels elevated by 15.39-43.81%.
• The study proposes a novel microbial metabolic strategy for methane mitigation, enabling both methane reduction and enhanced fermentation efficiency.

Statistics:

• Kombucha reduced methane emissions by 15.07% compared to the control group during the initial 30 hours.
• In the subsequent 30 hours, kombucha achieved sustained reductions of 34.72% versus the control and 26.28% versus 3-NOP.
• SLAM-NK6B supplementation reduced methanogen abundance by 53.32%.
• Propionate levels were elevated by 15.39-43.81% in the kombucha treatment group.
• Methane reduction by kombucha was 17.54% higher than 3-NOP treatment group during the initial 30 hours.

Sources:

• Metagenome-based microbial metabolic strategies to mitigate ruminal methane emissions using Komagataeibacter-based symbiotics. Science of The Total Environment, 2025; 987: 179793.
• NewsRx. University of Florida Reports Findings in Global Warming and Climate Change (Metagenome-based microbial metabolic strategies to mitigate ruminal methane emissions using Komagataeibacter-based symbiotics). Global Warming Focus. June 16, 2025; p 4644.