Test with Scott

Rumen protozoa play a central role in rumen function, influencing feed digestion, nutrient utilisation, microbial protein synthesis, and methane production. While their activities can contribute to improved fibre degradation and rumen stability, they may also reduce nitrogen-use efficiency and increase methane emissions. As interest grows in improving the productivity and sustainability of dairy systems, understanding the complex role of rumen protozoa has become increasingly important. This presentation will review the latest science on rumen protozoa, including the major protozoal groups, their functions within the rumen ecosystem, and the factors that influence their abundance and activity. It will also examine current approaches for quantifying their contribution to rumen metabolism and discuss recent advances in nutritional modelling that enable protozoa to be explicitly represented in feeding systems, providing new opportunities to improve diet formulation and predict animal performance and environmental outcomes.