E575 A 400-Cow Herd Loses $27,800 a Year to Ketosis – Then Pays Twice for “Rumen-Protected” Additives That Never Reach the Cow
About this episode
This episode discusses the financial impact of subclinical ketosis on a dairy herd and the effectiveness of rumen-protected additives.
A 400-cow herd loses up to $27,800 a year to subclinical ketosis — then pays again for "rumen-protected" additives that may never reach the cow. That second loss is the one nobody tracks. The Bullvine Podcast breaks down why "rumen-protected" is a label with a definition but no delivery threshold behind it — under both AAFCO and CFIA. At a 24.1% ketosis rate, the disease math is brutal enough. Add additives that degrade in the rumen, and you're paying program prices to feed your manure pit. Here's the one number to demand before you sign the next mill sheet. What You'll Learn Why a 400-cow herd quietly writes off $12,400–$27,800 a year before any cow looks sick How "rumen-protected" passes legally with zero proof of intestinal delivery The cost-per-gram-absorbed math that flips the cheap-bag decision in 30 seconds Why 25% delivery means feeding 51.6 grams to land what 75% delivery hits with 17.2 The exact question to ask your nutritionist — and how to grade the answer Why the same science pays off differently in Wisconsin than in Ontario Raw choline chloride degrades in the rumen at rates above 99%, so protection technology — not the active ingredient — decides whether your money…
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