Incubation with rumen liquor from the roughage fed animal The NMP of 0.166 was obtained with both the Carduus extracts prepared in water and methanol/water(1:1,v/v),whilethisvaluewas0.174forCarduusextractinmethanol/water (0.95:0.05, v/v). All the Fenugreek and Sesbania extracts evaluated had a slightly higher methane production (0.180). The reduction in methane, i.e., 7.8 and 7.7%, was observed in the Carduus extract preparedinmethanol/water(1:1,v/v)andwater.Themethanol/water(0.95:0.05,v/v)extract of Carduus resulted in 3.4% reduction in methane. While the Sesbania and Fenugreek extracts had negligible effect on the methane reduction. Anoverall40–47%reductionintheprotozoalpopulationwasobservedwiththeextracts of Fenugreek and Sesbania, respectively, while all the three Carduus extracts reduced protozoal numbers by 10%.