The disclosure relates to the use of organic nitrooxy compounds of the formula (I) as an active compound in animal feeding for reducing the formation of methane emanating from the digestive activities of ruminants and/or improving ruminant performance. In formula (I), Y is CaHbOdNeSg, wherein a is between 1 and 25, b is between 2 and 51, d is between 0 and 8, e is between 0 and 5 and g is between 0 and 3. The ruminant may include: cattle, goats, sheep, giraffes, American Bison, European bison, yaks, water buffalo, deer, camels, alpacas, llamas, wildebeest, antelope, pronghorn, and nilgai. The disclosure also relates to a feed composition, and a method of reducing methane emission using these compounds. Specific examples of the nitrooxy compound include: 3-nitrooxypropanol, 5-nitrooxy-pentanenitrile, 5-nitrooxy-pentane, 3-nitrooxy-propyl propionate, 1,3-bis-nitrooxypropane, 1,4-bis-nitrooxybutane, 1,5-bis-nitrooxypentane, 3-nitrooxy-propyl benzoate, 3-nitrooxy-propyl hexanoate, 3-nitrooxy-propyl 5-nitrooxy-hexanoate, isosorbid-dinitrate, and N-[2-(nitrooxy)ethyl]-3-pyridinecarboxamide, and bis-(2-nitrooxyethyl) ether.
