Granular feed supplement

1. A ruminant feed composition, comprising:

a granulated core comprising lysine sulfate; and

a coating material surrounding the core, the coating material comprising;

oleic acid,

stearic acid, and

palmitic acid;

wherein the total amount of stearic and palmitic acids is at least 90 wt % of the total weight of the coating, and

wherein the lysine exhibits a rumen bypass rate greater than 75%, and an intestinal digestibility rate greater than 70%.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the core is surrounded by two or more layers of coating material.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the granulated core material has a granular size of about 0.3 mm to about 3.0 mm.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is from 58:42.

5. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is from 55:45.

6. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the coating material has a melting temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 80° C.

7. The composition of claim 6 , wherein the composition exhibits an intestinal digestibility rate of at least 80%.

8. The composition of claim 7 , wherein the composition exhibits rumen bypass rate of at least 80%.

9. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the granulated core material has a granular size of about 0.3 mm to about 3.0 mm.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is 55:45.

11. The composition of claim 10 , wherein the coating material has a melting temperature in the range of from about 50° C. to about 80° C.

12. The composition of claim 11 , wherein the composition exhibits rumen bypass rate of at least 80%.

13. The composition of claim 12 , wherein the composition exhibits an intestinal digestibility rate of at least 80%.

14. A method of supplementing the diet of a ruminant with lysine, the method comprising:

providing the ruminant with a ruminant feed composition comprising:

a granulated core comprising lysine sulfate; and

a coating material of two or more layers surrounding the core, the coating material comprising;

oleic acid,

stearic acid, and

palmitic acid;

wherein the total amount of stearic and palmitic acids is at least 90 wt % of the total weight of the coating,

wherein the lysine exhibits a rumen bypass rate greater than 75%, and an intestinal digestibility rate greater than 70%, and

wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is from 50:50 to 70:30.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the lysine exhibits a rumen bypass rate greater than 80%, and an intestinal digestibility rate greater than 80%, and wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is 55:45.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the lysine exhibits a rumen bypass rate greater than 80%, and an intestinal digestibility rate greater than 80%, and wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is 58:42.

17. A method of making an encapsulated ruminant feed composition, the method comprising:

obtaining a core comprising lysine sulfate;

combining oleic acid, stearic acid, and palmitic acid to form a coating material;

heating the coating material to between 50 and 80 degrees Celsius;

applying the heated coating material to the core to form a continuous layer of coating material;

allowing the layer of coating material to solidify to create an encapsulated core.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:

applying a second layer of coating material to the encapsulated core.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is from 50:50 to 70:30.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is 55:45, and wherein the coating material comprises soybean oil.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the weight % ratio of core material to coating material is 58:42, and wherein the coating material comprises soybean oil.