The effect of buffering dairy cow diets with limestone, calcareous marine algae, or sodium bicarbonate on ruminal pH profiles, production responses, and rumen fermentation

Abstract

Six ruminally cannulated Holstein cows were used to evaluate the effect of 2 dietary buffers on rumen pH, milk production, milk composition, and rumen fermentation parameters. A high concentrate total mixed ration [35.2% forage dry matter (DM)], formulated to be potentially acidotic, was used to construct 3 dietary treatments in which calcareous marine algae (calcified remains of the seaweed Lithothamnium calcareum) was compared with limestone (control) and sodium bicarbonate plus limestone. One basal diet was formulated and the treatment diets contained either 0.4% of dietary DM as Acid Buf, a calcified marine algae product (AB treatment), or 0.8% of dietary DM as sodium bicarbonate and 0.37% as limestone (BC treatment), or 0.35% of dietary DM as limestone [control (CON) treatment]. Cows were randomly allocated to treatments according to a double 3×3 Latin square design, with 3 treatments and 3 periods. The total experimental period was 66 d during which each cow received each treatment for a period of 15 d before the data collection period of 7 d. Rumen fluid was collected to determine volatile fatty acids, lactic acid, and ammonia concentrations. Rumen pH was monitored every 10min for 2 consecutive days using a portable data logging system fitted with in-dwelling electrodes. Milk samples were analyzed for solid and mineral contents. The effect of treatment on acidity was clearly visible, especially from the period from midday to midnight when rumen pH dropped below 5.5 for a longer period of time (13 h) in the CON treatment than in the BC (8.7 h) and AB (4 h) treatments. Daily milk, 4% fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk yields differed among treatments, with AB being the highest, followed by BC and CON. Both buffers increased milk fat content. Treatment had no effect on milk protein content, but protein yield was increased in the AB treatment. Total rumen volatile fatty acids and acetate concentrations were higher and propionate was lower in the AB treatment than in CON. The molar proportion of acetate was higher in AB than in CON, but that of propionate was lower in both buffer treatments than in CON. The acetate:propionate ratio was increased in the AB and BC treatments compared with CON. Lactic acid concentration was higher in the CON treatment than in the buffer treatments. Treatment had no effect on rumen ammonia concentrations. Results indicated that buffer inclusion in high concentrate diets for lactating dairy cows had a positive effect on milk production and milk composition. Calcareous marine algae, at a level of 90 g/cow per day, had a greater effect on rumen pH, milk production and milk composition, and efficiency of feed conversion into milk than sodium bicarbonate at a level of 180 g/cow per day.

In vitro effects of sodium bicarbonate buffer on rumen fermentation, levels of lipopolysaccharide and biogenic amine, and composition of rumen microbiota

“…In agreement with the above reports, higher VFA concentrations were observed with BC supplementation in the current study. Acetate and propionate concentrations increased as well, which is also in agreement with previous studies of lactating cows . In addition, the present study revealed that butyrate concentrations and molar proportions were lower in the BC group compared with the control.…”

“…Sodium bicarbonate has been used as a supplement in dairy cows for many years as a rumen buffer . Studies involving BC in the diet of dairy cows have shown that BC supplementation can help elevate ruminal pH by buffering and by increasing the liquid dilution rate from the rumen . Consistent with these findings, the present study also revealed that the supplementation with BC resulted in an increase in final pH.…”

Effects of dietary Zeolite supplementation on milk yield and composition and blood minerals status in lactating dairy cows

“…Owing to the interactive effect of treatment and period (P = .005; Table 4; Figure 1), the difference between both groups was more pronounced at the end of the experimental period. Many researchers have proved that the dietary inclusion of Zeolite improves average of yield of dairy cows (Katsoulos et al 2006;Ilić et al 2011;Ural et al 2013;Cruywagen et al 2015). Generally, an increase in milk production can result from increased ruminal concentrations of propionate, increased postruminal digestion of starch, increased microbial protein synthesis, increased by-pass protein, or from a combination of these factors (Garcia-Lopez et al 1992;Katsoulos et al 2006).…”

Buffering Agent Induced Lactose Content Increases via Growth Hormone-Mediated Activation of Gluconeogenesis in Lactating Goats

“…The NaHCO3 could increase the buffering capacity and prevent acidosis in the rumen. It was reported that the rumen pH profile improved and a higher yield of milk and milk solids when NaHCO3 was supplemented to a high-concentrate diet [21]. Previous studies indicated that the addition of NaHCO3 and MgO to restricted-roughage rations for goats could increase the content of lactose and milk yield [22].…”