Investigate effects of denitrifying probiotic, Paenibacillus fortis, and nitrate in beef steers, and their potential to decrease methane while providing ancillary benefits.

Investigate effects of denitrifying probiotic ​Paenibacillus fortis​ and nitrate in beef steers andtheir potential to decrease methane while providing ancillary benefitsPI: ​Dr. Elizabeth Latham Sheets ​Company: ​Bezoar Laboratories LLCMethane is attributed to 20% of global climate change of which methane originatingfrom the gastrointestinal tracts of domestic ruminants contributes nearly 10%. Its formationcreates up to a 12% loss of gross energy for animals which equates to a loss in potential energyfor meat milk fiber or labor. Feeding of nitrate salts is an effective tool to decrease entericmethane formation in ruminants but it is often associated with a decrease in feed intake andposes the risk of nitrate toxicity thus preventing the widespread adoption of this technique formethane reduction. Bezoar Laboratories discovered and aims to commercialize a new speciesof hyper-nitrate and nitrite reducing probiotic: ​Paenibacillus fortis ​formerly 79R4 whichenhances the methane reducing ability of nitrate while mitigating the risks and may provideancillary benefits such as increased beef production. In addition it is shelf stable and affordableto produce.Potential outcomes of the ​in vivo ​study using ​P. fortis ​include further validation of itsmethane reduction potential and documentation of an increase in feed conversion rate ingrowing steers. Finding alternative strategies for growth enhancement and enteric methanemitigation are critical at the present time. The results from this proposal will allow assessmentof the effectiveness of ​P. fortis ​and its commercial viability as a feed additive. This study willalso further the understanding of methane formation in the rumen and aid in the development oftechniques to mitigate said metabolic pathway.