During early lactation, there is an excess energy requirement for proper milk production and body mass maintenance. Dairy cattle are already in a negative energy balance due to decreased feed intake post calving and are at risk for multiple systemic disorders such as lipidosis, ketosis & milk fever.

Farmers that use cereal grains or unprotected fats to make up this caloric deficit run the risk of rumen acidosis through the use of excess grain usage or by upsetting the rumen bacterial flora through the introduction of unprotected oils. Non-bypass unsaturated fats also reduce the milk fat content despite a modest increase in overall quantity.