An animal feed supplement and an animal feed composition including said animal feed supplement, and methods of making and using said animal feed supplement and animal feed composition. The animal feed supplement includes at least one organosulfur compound and at least one phenolic compound.

Compositions for reducing the emission of methane by ruminant animals are disclosed. The compositions include avian antibodies against methanogens generally found in the rumen of the animals. Egg contents of eggs from female birds inoculated with immunogenic compositions containing one or more methanogens or antigens derived from methanogens are used. The antibodies in the egg contents may be used directly without further purification, may be partially purified or purified. The compositions may be administered in drinking water or in animal feed. Administering of the anti-methanogenic composition reduces the emission of methane and increases the efficiency of feed conversion.

The present invention includes the complete genome sequence for the methanogen, Methanobrevibacter ruminan-tium, including polynucleotides which encode M. ruminantium polypeptides or peptides, as well as polynucleotides from non-coding regions. Also included are the encoded M. ruminantium polypeptides and peptides, and antibodies directed to these peptides or polypeptides, in addition to expression vectors and host cells for producing these peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, and antibodies. The invention further includes methods and compositions for detecting, targeting, and inhibiting microbial cells, especially methanogen cells such as M. ruminantium cells, using one or more of the disclosed peptides, polypeptides, polynu-cleotides, antibodies, expression vectors, and host cells.

The present invention relates to water dispersible formulations of 3-nitrooxypropanol and derivatives thereof as well as to the production of such formulations.

The present invention relates to storage-stable formulations of 3-nitrooxypropanol and derivatives thereof as well as to the production of such formulations.

The invention encompasses components from microbial cells which are useful for antibody production, including peptides, polypeptides comprising these peptides, polynucleotides which encode these peptides or polypeptides, and antibodies directed to these peptides, polypeptides, or polynucleotides. The invention also encompasses to expression vectors and host cells for producing these peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, and antibodies. The invention further encompasses methods and compositions, especially vaccine compositions, for detecting, targeting, and inhibiting microbial cells, especially methanogen cells, using one or more of the disclosed peptides, polypeptides, polynucleotides, antibodies, expression vectors, and host cells.

The present disclosure relates to the reduction of methane production in ruminants. In particular, the disclosure relates to solid and semi-solid compositions for administration to a ruminant comprising a substance capable of inhibiting the production of methane in vivo in the ruminant. The disclosure also relates to controlled release boluses, animal licks, and animal feeds comprising solid and semi-solid compositions comprising a substance capable of inhibiting the production of methane in vivo in a ruminant. The disclosure further relates to methods of orally administering boluses capable of inhibiting the production of methane in vivo in a ruminant to ruminants and methods of orally transferring substances capable of inhibiting the production of methane in vivo in a ruminant to ruminants. In addition, the disclosure relates to viruses capable of inhibiting archaea that produce methane in vivo in a ruminant.

Compositions for reducing methane emission and/or inhibiting one or more methanogens are provided. The compositions comprise an organohalogen compound and an organo sulfur compound, preferably bromoform and allicin. The compositions may further comprise a polyphenol compound. An animal feed comprising the composition is also described.

The present invention concerns novel probiotic compositions that increase nitrate- and nitrite-reduction in animals such as ruminants. The present invention thus provides compositions and methods for reducing nitrate/nitrite toxicity in such animals, or prophylactically protecting such animals from the effects of toxicity, such as methemoglobinemia. A novel strain of an unspeciated bacterial strain related to Paenibacillus species with nitrate- and nitrite-reducing capabilities is described. In conjunction with nitrate-supplemented diets, the probiotics of the present invention can also be utilized to reduce methanogenesis in livestock. Furthermore, the probiotic compositions of the present invention can be used to reduce the number and kind of food-borne pathogens, such as Escherichia coli and Campylobacter jejuni.

The present invention relates to a method of increasing the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in a ruminant, said method comprising the administration of a methane inhibitor to said ruminant. The increase in the VOC emissions can be used for monitoring and/or quantifying the reduction of methane emanating from the digestive activities of the ruminant affected by the feeding of said methane inhibitor.