ISSUE FOCUS 36 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2026 “Today, nutritionists increasingly recognize that the solution isn’t more protein— it’s the right balance of nitrogen sources. Switching to amino acid-focused ration formulation allows us to “narrow the road,” delivering only what the cow needs and reducing waste in the process. Commonly, this can result in decreased crude protein of around 2 percentage units.” Precision feeding has rapidly gained momentum across the dairy industry as producers face rising pressure to improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and maximize the genetic potential of modern cows. While the concept is simple—provide each cow exactly what she needs and nothing more—the execution on a high performing dairy can be complex. A few starting points to begin precision feeding and improve efficiency include different rations for each stage of lactation and parity, improving feeder training and nutrient analysis of feed ingredients to avoid having to formulate for excess nutrients, ensuring data-driven decisions based on milk meters, behavior and rumination collars, and strategic supplementation of vital nutrients required for high producing, feed efficient dairy cows. This article will focus on strategic supplementation, specifically of amino acids. In this way, nutritionists can narrow the gap between theoretical models and on-farm reality. IMPORTANCE OF AMINO ACIDS Amino acids (AA) are the fundamental building blocks of protein, supporting a wide array of biological functions. Specifically for dairy cows, AA can support production of milk and milk components. Though milk protein and fat are vital for the milk check, AA can also support lactose production, and since lactose is the primary osmoregulatory molecule in the mammary gland, it dictates milk volume. When cows receive the correct AA required for protein, fat, and lactose synthesis, they can more effectively convert feed into milk and milk component yields. It is also important to note that AA influence not only milk protein, fat, and lactose synthesis, but also immune function, reproduction, and tissue growth. FROM CRUDE PROTEIN TO PRECISION NUTRITION Historically, protein nutrition centered around simply feeding more protein. High crude protein (CP) diets were common because they offered a wide safety margin—essentially a broad road intended to cover all possible amino acid requirements, especially given feed variability. But this approach has critical flaws: • Deficiency of some essential amino acids PRECISION PROTEIN: HOW AMINO ACIDS ARE REDEFINING DAIRY NUTRITION Dr. Laura Niehues Technical Services Specialist Balchem Animal Nutrition & Health
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