Posted on May 9, 2017 in Dairy Performance
By Dr. Mat Faulkner
One of the amazing things about ruminant animals is their ability to turn feedstuffs with little or no nutritional value into nutritional products. Ruminants accomplish this through a mixture of rumen microorganisms that convert feedstuffs into energy and protein sources to be used by the host animal.
Essentially, when you feed the cow, you are really feeding the rumen microorganisms. What you feed them will affect the balance of these organisms and, subsequently, the function of the rumen.