Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), a natural additive with antimethanogenic properties in ruminants.

Objective: To describe ginger properties and its potential to reduce ruminal methane production. Design/methodology/approach: A search and review of scientific articles from the last 13 years was carried out on ginger and its use as an antimicrobial in animals of zootechnical interest, as well as its use as an antimethanogenic additive in ruminants. Results: Ginger´s metabolite profile is described, also the effect of ethanolic, methanolic and/or aqueous extracts, essential oils and ginger meal the in vitro assays as antimicrobial and antimethanogenic in cattle, sheep and goats, as well as its scope, and areas of opportunity in its field application. Limitations on study/implications: There are no in vivo studies on the use of ginger as an antimethanogenic additive in ruminants. Findings/conclusions: The use of ginger rhizome meal reduces methane in vitro, thus it could be proposed as an anti-methanogenic additive. However, in vivo methane production studies are necessary; as well as to determine the components of ginger that cause this effect and its mechanism of action in the rumen.