The microbes to ruminate on

Improved efficiency of beef and milk production could be a step closer following the use of groundbreaking DNA analysis techniques to identify the microbes cattle use to help break down and digest food in the rumen.

Scientists at Edinburgh’s Roslin Institute and Scotland’s rural college( sruc) who led the research hope the work will help identify which microbes are best at helping cattle to extract energy from their food.

They claim that the work, which identifies enzymes that are specialised for breaking down plant material, could also help in the quest to develop new biofuels.

The study discovered that more than 900 microorganisms – many of which were new to science – played a role in the cow’s digestion, giving a better understanding of how plant-based diets are converted into energy.

The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, also hold out hope of pinning down methods of reducing the methane production in ruminants, a by-product which is viewed both as a greenhouse gas and a waste of energy.

Roslin’s Professor Mick Watson said: “This has been a truly fascinating study, and really we are only beginning to understand what these microbes do. The fact most of them were very different to microbes that have already been discovered surprised us, so we just can’t wait to study them further.

“If we can improve the efficiency of digestion in cows and other ruminants, we may be able to produce more food whilst using fewer resources. This is a key aim of improving global food security.”