ABSTRACT
With increased milk potential per cow, recommended amounts of dietary protein have increased. Furthermore, because of the wide adoption of feeding cows complete diets in groups, dietary protein may likely exceed the requirements of many cows. Dietary crude protein exceeds 18% in a large proportion of Virginia’s top dairy herds. In general, increments in dietary protein result in less efficient utilization of nitrogen (N) and greater quantities go into the waste stream. Providing optimal N utilization for rumen microbial growth and complementing protein (amino acid) needs for milk protein with a ruminally undegraded protein that would supply the right balance of amino acids may reduce N waste from the lactating cow.
