Effect of Concentrate Level and Feeding Management on Chewing Activities, Saliva Production, and Ruminal pH of Lactating Dairy Cows

¹ Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, S7N 5A8
² Livestock Science Section, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Research Centre, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, T1J 4B1

Eight ruminally cannulated lactating Holstein cows were used in a double 4 x 4 Latin square to determine the effects of 1) proportion of barley silage [40, 50, and 60% of dry matter (DM)] in the diet, and 2) feeding a total mixed ration (TMR) compared with separate ingredients (SI) on chewing activities, saliva production, and ruminal pH. Although cows fed SI were offered a diet containing 50% silage, they actually consumed a diet containing 43% silage (DM basis). Dry matter intake and milk yield were similar for all diets (18.2 kg of DM/d and 27.2 kg/d, respectively). Cows fed the 40% silage TMR spent more time eating than cows fed SI (243 vs. 198 min/d), but rumination time was similar (546 min/d). Eating time was similar among the TMR diets, but rumination time increased from 498 to 516 and 584 min/d as silage in the TMR increased from 40 to 50, and then to 60%, respectively. The secretion of saliva per gram of feed was 4.43, 3.18, and 1.19 ml/g of DM with consumption of silage, TMR, and concentrate, respectively. Resting salivation rate was similar for all diets (101 ml/min). Regardless of the diet, cows secreted 239 ± 17 L/d of saliva, and ruminal pH was below 5.8 for 10 h/d. Results indicated increased chewing time did not increase total daily saliva secretion because increased eating and ruminating saliva was associated with decreased resting saliva. Feeding SI increased the risk of acidosis, because cows ate a higher proportion of concentrate than intended.

Key Words: chewing • saliva production • feeding management • ruminal pH

Submitted on March 5, 2001
Accepted on November 23, 2001

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. K. Bhandari, S. Li, K. H. Ominski, K. M. Wittenberg, and J. C. Plaizier Effects of the Chop Lengths of Alfalfa Silage and Oat Silage on Feed Intake, Milk Production, Feeding Behavior, and Rumen Fermentation of Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2008; 91(5): 1942 - 1958. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Q. Zebeli, J. Dijkstra, M. Tafaj, H. Steingass, B. N. Ametaj, and W. Drochner Modeling the Adequacy of Dietary Fiber in Dairy Cows Based on the Responses of Ruminal pH and Milk Fat Production to Composition of the Diet J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2008; 91(5): 2046 - 2066. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				K. A. Beauchemin, L. Eriksen, P. Norgaard, and L. M. Rode Short Communication: Salivary Secretion During Meals in Lactating Dairy Cattle J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2008; 91(5): 2077 - 2081. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. S. Mooney and M. S. Allen Effect of Dietary Strong Ions on Chewing Activity and Milk Production in Lactating Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, December 1, 2007; 90(12): 5610 - 5618. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Bach, C. Iglesias, S. Calsamiglia, and M. Devant Effect of Amount of Concentrate Offered in Automatic Milking Systems on Milking Frequency, Feeding Behavior, and Milk Production of Dairy Cattle Consuming High Amounts of Corn Silage J Dairy Sci, November 1, 2007; 90(11): 5049 - 5055. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. K. Bhandari, K. H. Ominski, K. M. Wittenberg, and J. C. Plaizier Effects of Chop Length of Alfalfa and Corn Silage on Milk Production and Rumen Fermentation of Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, May 1, 2007; 90(5): 2355 - 2366. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Seo, C. Lanzas, L. O. Tedeschi, and D. G. Fox Development of a Mechanistic Model to Represent the Dynamics of Liquid Flow Out of the Rumen and to Predict the Rate of Passage of Liquid in Dairy Cattle J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2007; 90(2): 840 - 855. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. N. Gozho, D. O. Krause, and J. C. Plaizier Ruminal Lipopolysaccharide Concentration and Inflammatory Response During Grain-Induced Subacute Ruminal Acidosis in Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2007; 90(2): 856 - 866. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. C. Gilbery, G. P. Lardy, S. A. Soto-Navarro, M. L. Bauer, and J. S. Caton Effects of corn condensed distillers solubles supplementation on ruminal fermentation, digestion, and in situ disappearance in steers consuming low-quality hay J Anim Sci, June 1, 2006; 84(6): 1468 - 1480. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Rotger, A. Ferret, X. Manteca, J. L. R. de la Torre, and S. Calsamiglia Effects of dietary nonstructural carbohydrates and protein sources on feeding behavior of tethered heifers fed high-concentrate diets J Anim Sci, May 1, 2006; 84(5): 1197 - 1204. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. Z. Yang and K. A. Beauchemin Effects of Physically Effective Fiber on Chewing Activity and Ruminal pH of Dairy Cows Fed Diets Based on Barley Silage J Dairy Sci, January 1, 2006; 89(1): 217 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Graf, M. Kreuzer, and F. Dohme Effects of Supplemental Hay and Corn Silage Versus Full-Time Grazing on Ruminal pH and Chewing Activity of Dairy Cows J Dairy Sci, February 1, 2005; 88(2): 711 - 725. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				W. C. Stone Nutritional Approaches to Minimize Subacute Ruminal Acidosis and Laminitis in Dairy Cattle J Dairy Sci, July 1, 2004; 87(13_suppl): E13 - 26. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z. Wu, S. K. Tallam, V. A. Ishler, and D. D. Archibald Utilization of Phosphorus in Lactating Cows Fed Varying Amounts of Phosphorus and Forage J Dairy Sci, October 1, 2003; 86(10): 3300 - 3308. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]