The objective of this study was to determine the effects of corn stover (CSP) pelleted with 1 of 2 protein sources, soybean meal (SBM) or distillers grains (DG), on lactation performance of dairy cows. To do so, 45 Holstein cows (30 primiparous, 15 multiparous; 118 ± 33 DIM and 604 ± 70 kg BW) were used in replicated 5 × 5 Latin squares with 28-d periods, using a 2 × 2 + 1 augmented factorial arrangement of treatments. Cows were individually fed their respective diets, which were formulated to contain 10 or 15% (DM basis) corn stover-based pellets processed with SBM (CS-SBM) or DG (CS-DG) as replacement of corn gluten pellets from the control diet. Treatments were (1) Control (CON); (2) 10% CS-SBM; (3) 15% CS-SBM; (4) 10% CS-DG; and (5) 15% CS-DG. Performance data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Relative to CON (26.9 ± 0.49 kg/d), all other diets decreased DMI (P < 0.01); within diets with CSP, feeding CS-SBM resulted in 0.57 ± 0.24 kg/d greater DMI (P = 0.02) compared with CS-DG, whereas 15% inclusion rate reduced DMI compared with 10% (21.9 vs 23.6 ± 0.44 kg/d; P < 0.01). The CON resulted 32.1 ± 0.69 kg milk/d whereas diets with 10% and 15% CSP were 2.5 and 3.8 ± 0.39 kg/d milk lower (P < 0.01), respectively. Compared with CS-DG, milk yield tended to be greater in CS-SBM by 0.46 ± 0.24 kg/d (P = 0.06); including 15% CSP reduced milk yield by 1.33 ± 0.24 kg/d (P < 0.01). However, 15% inclusion rate increased milk production efficiency (1.30 vs 1.26 ± 0.03; P = 0.01). Inclusion rate did not affect milk fat concentration but feeding CS-SBM resulted in greater milk fat concentration and yield compared with CS-DG (3.88 vs 3.71 ± 0.08%, 1.11 vs 1.05 ± 0.02 kg/d; P < 0.01). Milk protein was unaffected by protein source but MUN tended to be lower in CS-DG (P = 0.08). Despite differences in milk yield and composition, fat-corrected milk (FCM) efficiency was similar (P ≥ 0.19) across all treatments at 1.30 kg FCM/kg DMI. These results demonstrate that corn stover-based pellets with SBM or DG can replace pelleted corn gluten feed with limitations on DMI and milk yield but sustained FCM production efficiency.