Fat nutrition in dairy diets – what are the latest findings?

06-03-2023 | Nutrition | Expert opinion

Richard Kirkland Dr Richard Kirkland, ruminant nutritionist and Global Technical Manager for Volac Wilmar Feed Ingredients based in the UK

Type of fat supplement included in dairy rations should be considered to help ensure that the most-appropriate functional and physical properties of milk fat are achieved as required by a particular milk processor. Photo: Canva

Fat is a key macro-nutrient in animal nutrition and our understanding of the importance of fat in dairy cow rations has increased substantially over recent years, particularly in relation to the effects of individual fatty acids (the building blocks of fat). The year that just passed saw a further tranche of fatty acid research data presented at scientific conferences such as the American Dairy Science Association and the International Symposium on Energy and Protein Metabolism and Nutrition,