Sodium bicarbonate and sodium bentonite supplements for cattle fed corn or sorghum silages (1985)

Abstract

Beef cattle research with sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3 ) has involved mainly high concentrate feeding programs with little emphasis on silage-based rations for growing/backgrounding cattle. In two previous trials at Manhattan, addition of NaHCO3 to high silage rations has improved rate and efficiency of gain (Reports of Progress 427 and 448). Sodium bentonite (colloidol clay), an inert material, is not new to the cattle feeding industry, but results have been inconsistent. These trials further evaluated NaHCO3 and sodium bentonite supplements for growing cattle fed forage sorghum and corn silage rations.