Co-inoculating ruminal content neither provides active hydrolytic microbes nor improves methanization of ¹³C-cellulose in batch digesters.

Cellulose hydrolysis often limits the kinetics and efficiency of anaerobic degradation in industrial digesters. In animal digestive systems, specialized microorganisms enable cellulose biodegradation at significantly higher rates. This study aims to assess the potential of ruminal microbial communities to settle and to express their cellulolytic properties in anaerobic digesters.