Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), a global player in animal nutrition, has launched Digest Carb, a new feed product for dairy cows. The launch took place at SPACE 2025, an international livestock trade fair in Rennes, France. Digest Carb is a synergistic blend of ingredients designed to improve rumen fermentation, fiber degradability, and milk performance. Introduced to European customers at the event, the solution is set for rollout in other regions worldwide.
For dairy farmers, feed, according to ADM, is the single biggest cost, making up 60 to 70% of production expenses. By helping cows extract more energy from the same ration, Digest Carb aims to improve milk yields while supporting both farm profitability and sustainability.
Enhancing rumen fermentation improves nutrient release, enabling cows to extract more energy from the same amount of feed and boosts milk production. Digest Carb is a result of five years of rigorous research and development, and we’re proud to share it with European dairy operations focused on performance, robustness and environmental impact.
According to the company, in a 12 week trial held in France, Holstein cows that were fed Digest Carb produced an average of 2.7 kilograms more milk per day compared to the control group. Across all parities, milk protein output increased by 4.5%, highlighting the product’s impact on lactation performance.
Optimizing Digest Carb for Maximum Efficiency
Digest Carb uses a combination of ingredients that enhance the rumen’s use of different energy sources, including starch, fiber and sugars. A key feature of Digest Carb is its feed value matrix that assists in precise feed formulation. It allows nutritionists and feed millers to optimize rations by substituting high energy ingredients like grains with more fibrous materials. It is also compatible with commercial formulation software, supporting economical feeding strategies without compromising the cow’s energy supply. Digest Carb supports the native rumen microbiome, enabling more effective breakdown of fibrous feedstuffs to increase the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), the primary energy source for dairy cows.
Unlike other fiber degrading technologies, such as enzymes or live yeasts that struggle to persist in the rumen and yield variable results, Digest Carb supports and amplifies the cow’s natural microbial processes. This cooperative mechanism is more consistently and reliably effective.
ADM emphasizes that the product follows a meticulous, science driven process for identifying and validating new animal nutrition solutions. As per the company, Initial assessments use advanced in vitro models to evaluate potential effects before progressing to live animal trials conducted under varied diets and management practices. These trials measure both performance and health indicators. After laboratory trials, final validation takes place under commercial farm conditions with customers to confirm the original results. The process is designed to ensure consistency, efficacy, and applicability of ADM’s animal nutrition innovations.
Driving Sustainable Dairy Solutions
Digest Carb is presented as a solution to help dairy producers optimize cow performance. Beyond improvements in milk yield and efficiency, ADM positions Digest Carb as part of its broader commitment to sustainable dairy production. The product is designed to promote environmental sustainability by improving nutrient utilization, thereby helping to reduce waste. By lowering dependence on high energy ingredients and enhancing nutrient utilization, the solution contributes to both economic and environmental sustainability.
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As per ADM, its next generation services and solutions are designed to provide tools that address long term operational sustainability. Through this approach, ADM aims to build enduring relationships that delivers mutual benefits for the company and its customers. With introduction of Digest Carb, ADM seeks to establish itself as a partner to farmers, helping them navigate the dual challenge of productivity and sustainability in the global dairy sector. Digest Carb reinforces ADM’s commitment to supporting farmers with practical solutions that promote both productivity and long term sustainability in dairy operation.