Soybean meal has historically been the most widely used protein supplement in dairy cow rations, however canola (rapeseed) and cottonseed provide alternative sources of high quality protein. The U.S. is a top a five global producer of cottonseed and the largest net cottonseed exporter, historically shipping significant quantities to South Korea and Mexico. On the contrary, the U.S. accounts for just two percent of global rapeseed production but is the largest global rapeseed net importer, with the vast majority of imports originating in Canada. Overall, the U.S. is among the top five largest global users of combined cottonseed and canola with the majority of usage being within dairy cow rations. Usage has increased within rations as cottonseed meal and canola meal have been economical alternative protein sources when compared to soybean meal. Please contact us if you would like to learn more about our dairy research products, including the current report that provides an overview on the global canola and cottonseed markets. Please contact us for the full report.