Compositions for improving nitrogen utilization in a ruminant

A method for feeding a ruminant, the method comprising:

• providing to the ruminant a composition for consumption,
• wherein the composition comprises:
• a non-protein nitrogen compound, and
• a rumen by-pass agent, for ruminally by-passing the non-protein nitrogen compound,
• wherein the rumen by-pass agent is a coating surrounding the non-protein nitrogen compound and the coating consists essentially of a hydrogenated vegetable oil,
• the non-protein nitrogen compound is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of urea, ammonium salts, methylene urea, biuret, acetamide, butyramide, dicyanoamide, formamide, ethylene urea, isobutanol diurea, lactosyl urea, propionamide, uric acid and urea phosphate,
• a ratio of the non-protein nitrogen compound to the coating is from 83:17 to 75:25 by weight,
• wherein the composition does not comprise any cracks, breaks, or flaws in the coating, and
• wherein the providing results in a ruminal bypass fraction of the non-protein nitrogen compound of at least 50% in the ruminant.