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Rumen pH as a Factor for Controlling Feed Intake in Ruminants

Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

ABSTRACT

Four rumen fistulated steers, in a 4 x 4 Latin-square design, received intraruminal infusions of a) water, b) phosphoric acid, c) lactic acid, or d) citric acid, to study the effect of rumen pH on daily hay consumption. Steers were fed chopped hay ad libitum for a 6-hr period daily. To lower and maintain the rumen pH at about 6.0, the dilute acid solutions were infused on the day of the experiment with a prime dose 30 min before feeding, followed by successive infusions during feeding. Daily air-dry hay intake dropped (P < 0.01) from 12.3 kg in the control animals (water infused) to 6.0, 6.3, and 8.0 kg in the animals receiving phosphoric acid, lactic acid, and citric acid solutions, respectively. In control animals, hourly rumen pH fell gradually through the hours of feeding from 7.03 before infusion to 6.58, 6 hr later. In acid-infused animals, rumen pH dropped from 7.08 to about 6.0, where it was maintained during the feeding period. Blood urea values showed a nonsignificant drop in the acid-infused groups. Blood glucose levels remained constant. Blood ammonia made slight shifts during acid infusion. Blood volatile fatty acids were lower in the acid-infused group.