Every dairy includes some level of fat in the cow’s diet, whether specifically formulated in or not. While we are well acquainted with the various sources both natural and commercial, the roles that various fat sources, fat components (fatty acids) and fat combinations play in the animal, in terms of production, health and reproduction, still need a great deal of work.

A cattle operation's feeding and nutrition program is the single-largest ongoing production expense and the one that may require the greatest amount of time, focus and planning to manage. It may also be the most variable, depending on the region and operations themselves.

One area that may not always be linked as directly as it should be to nutrition is animal health. In many cases, we tend to compartmentalize health and nutrition to a degree, handing the health program to the veterinarian and the nutrition program to the nutritionist.

By now, most producers and nutritionists have at least heard of the use of the various essential oil products that are becoming more common in the dairy feeding industry.

Millions of cows around the world consume diets that have been formulated as optimally as possible.

Since 1944, the National Research Council has established basic nutritional guidelines and recommendations for dairy cows. Over the subsequent 75-plus years, this organization has generated eight sets of these reports, the last one being in 2001, so 20 years ago. Needless to say, a lot has changed in those 20 years. 

Since man began keeping and managing animals for production of milk, meat, fiber, etc., he has continuously searched for better, more productive and profitable means of doing so.