The effects of the form in which amino acids are presented to the abomasum on the milk production of dairy cows receiving a basal diet of grass silage and a barley-based supplement were examined in two experiments. Effects of abomasal infusions of sodium caseinate were compared with the effects of corresponding levels of either an enzymic hydrolysate of casein (Expt 1) or a corresponding mixture of free amino acids (FAA; Expt 2). In Expt 1, although the yield of protein in milk increased progressively with each level of infusion, the yields of protein were greater for the caseinate than for the hydrolysate. Again, in Expt 2, for milk protein yield, sodium caseinate was superior to FAA at the lower level of infusion. In both experiments, the hydrolysate and FAA treatments were associated with higher concentrations of fat in the milk. There were indications of differences in the pattern of secretion of glucagon between the caseinate and FAA treatments. It is concluded that the differences between treatments relate either to the kinetics of absorption of amino acid residues or to the action of bioactive peptides released during digestion of casein.