Protected fats in ruminant nutrition

The addition of fat to the diets of dairy animals can improve the energy balance in lactating cows and hence improves fertility, milk production and other biological functions. The advantages of increasing the energy density of diets without reducing digestibility can be achieved if the dietary fat is protected from hydrogenation in the rumen. Initially, dietary fats were protected by coating them with protein that was then treated with formaldehyde, so that it was not degraded in the rumen. Th