THE USE OF ENZYMATIC INHIBITORS OF METHANOGENESIS IN RUMINANTS

Abstract

Enzymatic inhibitors are molecules that bind to enzymes and decrease their activity. There are various inhibitors that have been widely studied and that have proven their effectiveness in reducing the production of enteric methane (CH₄) in ruminants. However, their commercial use has been limited since they can present disadvantages, such as microbial adaptation, being toxic or harmful to the environment. The recent development of synthetic compounds with high potential to inhibit the production of CH₄ and which have proven their effectiveness in the long term has increased the interest of researchers in this area of knowledge. In this study, different inhibitors of methanogenesis are analyzed from a historical perspective, placing special emphasis on 3-nitrooxypropanol, which has been evaluated under diverse experimental conditions with encouraging results.