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Effect of Feeding Buffered Concentrate Rations on the Performance and Metabolism of Lactating Dairy Cattle in a Subtropical Environment¹

Department of Animal Sciences, University of Hawaii, Honolulu 96822

ABSTRACT

Buffered concentrates were fed to lactating Holsteins receiving 5.46 to 10.9 kg of roughage daily in three trials with 12 cows per trial. Sodium bicarbonate fed as 3.84% of the concentrate or as .34 kg per cow daily significantly increased (P < .05) 4% fatcorrected milk, daily fat production and acetic:propionic ratio with all levels of roughage fed. Concentrate plus NaHCO₃ fed with 5.46 to 9.1 kg of roughage per day increased fat and total solids percentages, molar proportion of rumen acetic acid, and decreased molar proportion of rumen propionic acid. Highroughage (10.9 kg/day) plus NaHCO₃ significantly increased rumen pH to 6.70 compared with 6.25 for low-roughage control (7.28 kg/day) . A combination of 1.92% each of NaHCO₃ and MgO added to the concentrate significantly reduced concentrate intake, weight gain, total milk and total protein and increased fat and total solids percentages. These data indicate that amount of roughage in the diet influences response to NaHCO₃. Addition of MgO depressed feed intake and milk yield. Experimental design did not permit evaluation as to whether other effects were due to MgO or reduced concentrate intake.

¹ Journal Series 1137 of the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station.