Current animal breeding approaches are strongly associated with the development of sophisticated molecular genetics methods and techniques. Worldwide expansion of genomic selection can be achieved by the identification of genetic DNA markers and implementation of the microarray (“chip”) technology. Further advancement was associated with next-generation sequencing methods, high-throughput genotyping platforms, targeted genome editing techniques, and studies of epigenetic mechanisms. The remarkable development of “omics” technologies, such as genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, has enabled individual genomic prediction of animal performance, identification of disease-causing genes and biomarkers for the prevention and treatment and overall qualitative progress in animal production.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of three pure statins on in vitro methane production and rumen fermentation. The effects of atorvastatin, rosuvastatin and simvastatin at three concentrations (1, 10, and 100 mg/L of culture fluid) were evaluated using in vitro 24 h batch incubation of buffered rumen fluid with a 70:30 forage:concentrate substrate. All statins tested demonstrated the ability to reduce methanogenesis. Methane inhibition potential was decreasing in the following order: simvastatin > atorvastatin > rosuvastatin. Methane production was reduced (p < 0.05) by simvastatin at 10 mg/L (by 9.3%) and by atorvastatin at 100 mg/L (by 13.2%) without compromising fermentation and feed digestibility. Simvastatin at 100 mg/L decreased methane production by 26.2%, however, net production of volatile fatty acids (nVFA) was also reduced (p < 0.05). The only effect of rosuvastatin was a slight reduction (p < 0.05) of methane proportion at 10 and 100 mg/L. Simvastatin and atorvastatin at 100 mg/L increased (p < 0.05) relative proportion of propionate at the expense of acetate and butyrate. Ammonia-N concentrations were not affected (p > 0.05) by statins. The current study demonstrated that selected statins could selectively decrease methane production. The effects of statins on methanogenesis and overall rumen fermentation vary depending on statin type and concentration. Hydrophobic statins, such as simvastatin and atorvastatin, seem to be more effective compared to the hydrophilic statins, such as rosuvastatin.

This study investigated the combined effects of nitrate (NT) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA), including C8, C10, C12, and C14, on methane (CH4) production, rumen fermentation characteristics, and rumen bacteria using a 24 h batch incubation technique. Four types of treatments were used: control (no nitrate, no MCFA), NT (nitrate at 3.65 mM), NT+MCFA (nitrate at 3.65 mM + one of the four MCFA at 500 mg/L), and NT+MCFA/MCFA (nitrate at 3.65 mM + a binary combination of MCFA at 250 and 250 mg/L). All treatments decreased (P < 0.001) methanogenesis (mL/g apparent dry matter disappearance) compared with the control, but their efficiency was dependent on the MCFA type. The most efficient CH4 inhibitor was the NT+C10 treatment (–40%). The combinations containing C10 and C12 had the greatest effect on bacterial alpha diversity and relative microbial abundance (P < 0.001). Next-generation sequencing showed that the family Succinivibrionaceae was favored in treatments with the greatest CH4 inhibition at the expense of Prevotella and Ruminococcaceae. Furthermore, the relative abundance of Archaea decreased (P < 0.05) in the NT+C10 and NT+C10/C12 treatments. These results confirm that the combination of NT with MCFA (C10 and C12 in particular) may effectively reduce CH4 production.