Degradation of dietary nitrate in the rumen and its use as a potential nitrogen source for rumen micro-organisms

Abstract

Inclusion of nitrate (NO3⁻) instead of urea in the diet of ruminants provides non-protein nitrogen for rumen micro-organisms and, at the same time, has the potential to reduce rumen methane production (Leng, 2008). However, there is little information on whether NO3⁻ is taken up as such by rumen micro-organisms or is reduced to ammonia (NH3) before assimilation.