E552 The $28,614 Tenth: Why Upper...
E552 The $28,614 Tenth: Why Upper Midwest Protein Is Now Worth More Than Fat

The Bullvine Daily Brief by The Bullvine

Episode notes

March 2026 FMMO set protein at $2.0905/lb against butterfat at $2.0220 — the first sustained flip in a decade. On a 500-cow Order 30 herd at 75 lbs/day, every tenth of protein is now worth $28,614 a year. That's $938 more than fat.

Issue #1 of The Bullvine Component Value Tracker breaks down what the flip means for your sire list, your ration, and your next capital project. The national protein-to-fat ratio hit 0.760 in 2025 — cheese plants were calibrated for 0.82. We've got roughly 16 months before the 0.75 line starts showing up in basis conversations.

What You'll Learn

  • Why chasing a better protein-to-fat ratio costs a 500-cow herd $19.88 per daughter per lactation
  • The $6.07/lb flip point that kills the "prettier ratio" sire argument
  • Which rumen-protected supplements still pencil at $2.09/lb protein — and ... 
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Keywords
dairy farm profitabilitydairy breeding strategymilk protein pricingprotein to fat ratiomilk component valueUpper Midwest dairyFMMO Order 30