Biofuel production from agricultural wastes and more food from ruminant animals with lower environmental impacts are more likely now AgResearch has successfully applied to a prestigious US institution to have the DNA of microbes within the forestomach (rumen) of these animals sequenced.
AgResearch scientists Christina Moon, Graeme Attwood and their team applied to the US Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute (JGI) to have the collective rumen microbial genome of these animals sequenced. Their successful application is a major triumph for AgResearch. With no funding allocated to AgResearch for this work, the decision means it will now be conducted by the JGI free of charge.
The rest of the story can be found here.