Mammals, including our dairy cows, have great energy demands around parturition . . . not only to support growth of the fetus but also for the onset of milk production. In dairy cattle, this greater energy demand coincides with a significant drop in dry matter intake. The imbalance between energy consumed and the energy required for production is negative energy balance. Cows adjust to negative energy balance by mobilizing fat reserves through a process known as fat mobilization. In dairy cows, this fat or lipid mobilization is especially pronounced due to the demands of high milk production.