ARTICLE 72 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE November 2025 “Encapsulated nutrients can provide consistent, reliable and cost-effective alternatives to traditional feedstuffs. However, how well these products perform in terms of durability, rumen stability, intestinal release and, ultimately, cow performance vary depending on the encapsulation and manufacturing process utilized. Thus, it is critical that in situ, in vitro and in vivo research be used to evaluate an encapsulate’s performance in each of these metrics.” Lipid encapsulation is a valuable tool to protect nutrients from ruminal and environmental degradation, with the goal of making the nutrients available for small intestine absorption. With many encapsulated products in the market today, it can be confusing and difficult to choose a product that will perform as expected at a cost-effective price point. These products, and the processes that create them, differ greatly in design, technology, and, unfortunately, performance. High-quality encapsulated nutrients can provide nutritionists with a great deal of flexibility to improve rations and performance while reducing costs. However, not all encapsulated products are created equal. To make the most of the ingredient investment, nutritionists, veterinarians, and producers need to recognize differences between the various encapsulation technologies. This allows informed decisions about which product(s) will be most cost-effective in the rations fed. LIPID ENCAPSULATION Lipid encapsulation is an effective rumen protection technology utilized across a wide range of nutrients. However, lipid encapsulation is a generic term, and differences exist due to: 1. The starting form and inclusion rate of the nutrient 2. The coating system utilized 3. The manufacturing process used to produce the lipid encapsulate There are two main types of lipid encapsulation technology: true encapsulation and matrix encapsulation. Matrix encapsulation suspends the active nutrient within a fatty acid matrix while true encapsulation contains a layered coating of fatty acids applied around the outside of the nutrient to form a protective barrier (Figure 1), fully encapsulating the active nutrient in layers of lipid. To be effective, an encapsulate must provide: 1. Durability (feed and mixing stability, freeze/thaw stability and shelf-life) 2. Rumen protection 3. Intestinal digestibility 4. Biological Performance NOT ALL ENCAPSULATED NUTRIENTS ARE CREATED EQUAL Kari Estes, M.S. Research Manager Balchem Animal Nutrition and Health
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