All we have to do is balance the ration to maximize fat, right? Regarding the number of variables involved in ration formulation, few diets are ever truly balanced. Consider the word “optimized” instead. Let’s look at several key nutrients that must be optimized for maximum butterfat production.

At Virtus Nutrition our mission is to help you feed a better balance of fatty acids to improve reproduction, health, and profitability. In the early 2000s, we invented the process to deliver EPA/DHA in a form that dairy cows can utilize.

Breed for fertility, feed for fertility, manage for fertility – this phrase encapsulates the approach Siebren Jacobi has taken to capture greater herd performance and profitability at Rocking S Dairy in Modesto, California.

Some dairies across the country are using larger inclusion mixes due to lack of feed storage options. Still in other cases, some feed companies are proposing larger inclusion grain mixes to their customers.

We’ve learned a lot about how essential fatty acids (EFAs) work since they were first introduced to the dairy market more than 20 years ago.

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.