MODELLING ANIMAL SYSTEMS PAPER Aspects of rumen microbiology central to mechanistic modelling of methane production in cattle

J. L. ELLIS *, J. DIJKSTRA , E. KEBREAB , A. BANNINK , N. E. ODONGO , B. W. MCBRIDE 1 AND J. FRANCE1 1Centre for Nutrition Modelling, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, 6709 PG, Wageningen, The Netherlands 3Department of Animal Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada Animal Sciences Group, Division Animal Production, Wageningen University and Research Centre, PO Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands 5Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada