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Boost body condition and milk components with supplemental fat


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Want a better way to boost cow body condition and your herd’s milk fat production? Supplemental dietary fat is the key. And now, there’s a new, cost-effective way to provide supplemental fat in dairy rations.

“A balance of fatty acids is best to help farmers economically achieve milk component goals and benefit cow health,” says Katie Boesche, Ph.D., senior technical support consultant with Purina Animal Nutrition. “That’s why we’ve reformulated Purina® PROPEL® Energy+ Balance supplement to include C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acids at optimum levels, which combine to offer the most benefit in a cost-effective package.”

All supplemental fat sources are not created equal

Many supplemental fat products contain C16:0, which, when included in lactating rations, generally increases milk and milk fat production. It’s also highly digestible. But supplemental C16:0 fat sources may not help cows maintain body condition, which can be an issue during early lactation.

“Failure to maintain adequate body condition may lead to health and fertility challenges,” says Boesche. “That’s where C18:0 comes in. C18:0 helps animals partition energy to body reserves.”

Research has shown that there’s a benefit to feeding both C18:0 and higher levels of C16:0.[1]

When C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acids are combined at optimal levels, as is the case with Purina® PROPEL® Energy+ Balance supplement, a single supplemental fat source is sufficient to meet dietary fat requirements throughout lactation, saving on feed costs, storage needs and mixing requirements.

The edge in palatability, digestibility

“Feeding supplemental fat during early lactation can help cows who need to overcome calving-related weight loss or catch up on feed intake,” says Boesche. “Purina® PROPEL® Energy+ Balance supplement supports body condition throughout the transition period and aids in milk component production, as well as overall milk productivity, during the entire lactation.”

Purina® PROPEL® Energy+ Balance supplement can also help improve:

  • Palatability due to how it is processed. Cows like it, especially in relation to non-extruded fat products like prills and calcium salts.
  • Fiber and fat digestibility compared to a prilled fat product.
  • Storage and handling through a unique manufacturing process. The fats stay within the nuggets and don’t transfer to feeding equipment or leave behind a “sticky” residue.

“Purina® PROPEL® Energy+ Balance supplement blends fatty acid sources to help dairy farmers better support cow health and productivity while remaining cost-conscious,” says Boesche.

Contact your local Purina nutritionist to help maximize your feed investment or learn more at purinamills.com.

Purina Animal Nutrition LLC (purinamills.com) is a national organization serving producers, animal owners and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers and other large retailers throughout the United States. Driven to unlock the greatest potential in every animal, the company is an industry-leading innovator offering a valued portfolio of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is headquartered in Shoreview, Minn. and a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc.

[1] Purina Animal Nutrition Research Center Lactation Trial DC572 (2018)


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