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Sodium Bicarbonate for Early Lactation Cows Fed Corn Silage or Hay Crop Silage-Based Diets¹

Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Maine, Orono 04469

ABSTRACT

To compare the effects of NaHCO₃ in diets based on different forage sources, 16 Holstein cows, in a split-plot design, were assigned at 2 d postpartum to a total mixed diet of either 30% hay crop silage:70% concentrate or 40% corn silage:60% concentrate (dry basis) that contained 0 or 1.25% NaHCO₃. Over the first 6 wk postpartum, NaHCO₃ increased milk fat percentage in cows fed the corn silage-based diet. During wk 2 through 6 postpartum, NaHCO₃ increased milk yield with the hay crop silage-based diet and tended to decrease milk yield with the corn silage-based diet. Sodium bicarbonate increased digestion of NDF with both forages and increased excretion of urinary nitrogen with the corn silage-based diet. Responses to NaHCO₃ by cows in early lactation may depend on the nature of the dietary forage component.

¹ Maine Agricultural Experiment Station Publication Number 1196.

² Department of Dairy and Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802.