Responses of lactating dairy cows to sodium bicarbonate or sodium bentonite in low forage diet

Abstract

Dietary sodium bicarbonate or sodium bentonite has been used in lactating cow diets to aid ration adjustment. Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased intake and milk production for cows fed high concentrate diets in the first two months after parturition (Erdman et al., 1980). Addition of dietary buffers such as sodium bicarbonate and sodium bentonite increased molar percentage of acetate and reduced propionate in dairy cows. Milk fat percentage was increased by sodium bicarbonate in dairy cows when fed low roughage diets (Erdman, 1988). The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of sodium bicarbonate or sodium bentonite in diets of high yielding dairy cows on milk yield, milk composition, and faecal pH.