a calf nursing
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cartoon of the rumen and its bacteria

The Methanobrevibacter genus dominates the archaea in the rumen, where on average Mbb. ruminantium accounts for approximately 27% of archaea (Leahy et. al 2010). Photo courtesy of AllAboutFeed.net.

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multiple cows walking towards the camera

​Methanogens like Mbb. ruminantium produce methane through normal digestion of feedstuffs, particularly highly fibrous feedstuffs. The rod-shaped Mbb. ruminantium uses hydrogen and carbon dioxide to produce methane and flourishes with low energy diets. Photo provided by BeefMagazine.com.

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white cow face

Methanogens are found in both the human and ruminant gut and are part of the cause of eructation (belching) in cattle. Photo courtesy of Pixbay.com.

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cells splitting from replication

Mbb. ruminantium are a type of methane-producing microbe belonging to a domain of life called archaea. These microbes do not contain a peptidoglycan layer within their cell wall, unlike bacteria. Micrograph courtesy of Zeikus and Bowen; doi: 10.1139/m75-019