The cornerstone of efficient cattle nutrition is maximizing the production of microbial protein (MbP).

In most herds, increased attention is paid to supplying the intestines with by-pass nutrients, particularly nitrogen (N) and energy.

However, this approach fails to fully utilize the unique ability of ruminants, which lies in:

• their capacity to extract nutrients from fibrous feeds, and especially in
• the conversion of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) into true protein, i.e. amino acids (AAs) needed for milk and tissue synthesis.

Disregarding these biological principles makes cattle feeding resemble monogastric feeding, ultimately lowering herd profitability.

Microbial protein in high-producing dairy cows

Feeding microbial protein does not exclude the use of by-pass nitrogen sources from purchased feeds – these can supplement, but not replace, the microbial protein formed in the rumen.

Even dairy cows at peak lactation must meet 50–60% of their amino acid requirements through their own microbial protein synthesis.

The uniqueness of microbial protein lies in the composition and ratio of individual amino acids, which more closely matches the amino acid profile of milk and tissues than any other feed or feed combination.
Thanks to this amino acid profile, it is not necessary to maintain high crude protein (CP) levels in the ration just to achieve the required level of limiting amino acids.

“Dairy cows are often overfed crude protein in an effort to meet amino acid requirements.”
(Davidson et al., NSC University)

2 in 1 Concept

Feeding high-producing cattle means feeding two completely different organisms, each with very different nutritional needs, living in symbiosis:

1. The rumen (and its microflora)
2. The “monogastric cow” – more precisely, her intestinal tract, which utilizes both fermentation products from the rumen and by-pass nutrients from the original feed.

While the task of the “monogastric cow” is to convert the nutrient “menu” into the final product (milk, meat),
the task of the rumen is to prepare the main “menu” for the monogastric cow.

“Milk and meat producers must understand this relationship and make full use of rumen function if they want to produce efficiently.
Otherwise, they might as well go feed pigs!”
(Robert J. Van Saun, Pennsylvania State University)

If we want to feed the cow properly, we must first learn to feed the rumen microflora – especially rumen bacteria. Thanks to them, ruminants can digest large amounts of even low-quality fiber, unlike other vertebrates.

Microbial protein respects the differing nutritional requirements of rumen bacteria and the cow in terms of nutrient sources and their utilization.

Only by providing the correct forms and sources of nutrients for rumen bacteria can we ensure:

• maximum microbial protein synthesis, and
• maximum milk protein production and milk yield.

The key building blocks for maximizing microbial protein production are LINAPROTEINS.