Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts)

97% dry matter, 33 MJ of metabolisable energy per kg of dry matter, 0% crude protein and 0% fibre (NDF) — the cited reference values behind our calculators.

Also called bypass fat, calcium salts of fatty acids.

Composition

Energy is MJ ME per kg of dry matter. Everything else is a percentage of dry matter.

Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts) — composition
MeasureValue
Dry matter97%
Energy (ME)33 MJ/kg DM
Crude protein0%
Fibre (NDF)0%
Starch0%
Sugar0%
Fat84%

Macro-minerals, % of dry matter

Calcium
9.3%

Chloride is left out on purpose: standard lab digestion doesn't recover it, so published feed tables leave it blank and ours would be an estimate. A mineral left out here is one the source table didn't report — not a measured zero.

Where these numbers come from

Volac/Megalac and GP Feeds datasheets — calcium salts of palm fatty acids; digestibility basis from NASEM 2021 Dairy, Table 4-1.

Pure energy: it supplies no protein at all. Being rumen-inert is what lets a small daily amount approach the dietary fat ceiling safely — but total diet fat above about 6–7% DM still depresses fibre digestion and intake.

What it costs

Per tonne as fed
$2,200
Per kg dry matter
$2.27
Per megajoule of energy
6.9c

Cents per megajoule is the figure that actually ranks feeds, because it is the only one that accounts for both water and energy density — a cheap wet feed and an expensive dry one can land in the same place. These prices are indicative starting points from mid-2026, not quotes: they move with region, volume and season, and every one of them is editable in the calculator.

How it compares

Other concentrates & by-products in the library, ordered by how close they sit to Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts) on energy.

Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts) compared with similar feeds on energy, protein and fibre
FeedDM %MEProteinFibrec/MJ
Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts)this page97330%0%6.9c
Maize grain8813.59%12%4.4c
Wheat grain8813.512.5%13%4.2c
Field peas8713.423.9%14.2%4.7c
Barley grain881311%20%3.9c

A dash under c/MJ means the feed isn't bought — grazed pasture and standing crops carry no purchase price, and showing them at zero would read as free.

Does it feed the animal?

A composition on its own can't tell you that. Open the calculator with Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts) added to the diet, set your stock and how much of it they're getting, and it will tell you what the diet actually supports — and which of energy, protein or gut fill runs out first.

Feedwise gives indicative models for decision support. It is not a substitute for a nutritionist or veterinarian — for animal-health decisions, talk to your vet.