Subacute Ruminal Acidosis Challenge Research Articles

Effect of a low-moisture buffer block on ruminal pH in lactating dairy cattle induced with subacute ruminal acidosis

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a low-moisture buffer block on ruminal pH and milk production in cows induced with subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). Sixteen ruminally cannulated cows were randomly assigned to treatment (access to buffer blocks) or control (no buffer blocks). Ruminal pH was recorded each minute; dry matter intake (DMI), milk yield, and milk composition were measured daily. The experiment lasted 12 d and consisted of a 3-d pre-SARA period (without access to buffer blocks; d 1 to 3), after which 8 cows were given access to buffer blocks and 8 cows continued without access to buffer blocks. The next 4 d (d 4 to 7) were for evaluating the response to buffer blocks. On d 8, cows were restricted to 50% of previous DMI, and on d 9 SARA was induced (addition of 4kg of wheat/barley pellet to pre-SARA total mixed ration (TMR). Cows were then monitored for a 3-d recovery period (d 10 to 12). The SARA challenge was successful in decreasing mean ruminal pH and time and area below pH 5.6. Intake of buffer blocks averaged 0.33kg of DM/cow per day and was greatest on d 4 and d 8. Total DMI (TMR plus buffer block) and yields of milk and milk components were not affected by treatment. Although there was no overall effect of treatment on any of the ruminal pH variables measured, there were significant treatment by period interactions for several ruminal pH variables. Cows on the control treatment tended to experience a greater decrease in mean ruminal pH when induced with SARA than cows with access to buffer blocks (−0.55 vs. −0.20 pH units). Cows on the control treatment also experienced a greater increase in time (9.7 vs. 4.1 h/d) and area (249 vs. 83 min×pH units/d) below pH 5.6 compared with cows with access to buffer blocks. Ruminal volatile fatty acids, lactate, ethanol, and succinate concentrations during the SARA challenge did not differ between treatments. Eating behavior was not affected by treatment. Size of the first meal of the day was greater on the SARA challenge day than during the pre-SARA period (11.0 vs. 5.7kg, as fed). Giving cows access to a buffer-containing molasses block may reduce the duration and the severity of a 1-d SARA challenge.

Impact of Feeding a Raw Soybean Hull-Condensed Corn Steep Liquor Pellet on Induced Subacute Ruminal Acidosis in Lactating Cows

We used four ruminally cannulated, multiparous Holstein cows (690kg; 21 kg/d milk) in a 2-period crossover design to determine the impact of feeding a raw soybean hull-corn steep liquor pellet (SHSL) on induced subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in lactating cows. Cows were fed control [30% alfalfa hay, 15% corn silage, 34% corn, 9% whole cottonseed, 5% soybean meal (SBM)] or SHSL (20% of diet DM) diets as TMR. SHSL replaced 6.2% alfalfa hay, 3.7% corn silage, 6.6% corn, and 3.3% SBM. Periods were 15 d (10 d adaptation, 2 d for prechallenge measures, and 3 d of SARA challenge). Cows were fed once daily at a common DMI dictated by the cow consuming the least. Cows were fasted 12h before the first SARA challenge. For each of the three SARA challenges, cows were offered 75% of their daily diet at 0600h. The remaining 25% of diet DM was replaced by ground corn, which was mixed with the orts that remained 2h after feeding and placed into the rumen. Ruminal pH declined linearly with time after feeding, and this decrease was greater during the SARA challenges. Ruminal lactate increased linearly with repeated SARA challenges. Concentrations of total ruminal VFA increased linearly after feeding, and increases were greater when cows were challenged. No differences were observed due to SHSL inclusion. The model induced SARA, but partial replacement of alfalfa, corn silage, corn, and SBM by SHSL did not influence responses to SARA challenges.