How nutrition influences milk fat concentration in dairy cows

Milk fat remains a central measure of dairy cow performance, profitability and milk processor premiums. While genetics, stage of lactation and herd management all contribute, nutrition is often the most direct lever for influencing milk fat concentration. The rumen environment, dietary fiber and fatty acid composition interact in complex ways to determine whether cows produce high-fat milk or experience the all-too-common issue of milk fat depression.