S. Xu et al., EFFECT OF BUFFER ADDITION TO HIGH GRAIN TOTAL MIXED RATIONS ON RUMEN PH, FEED-INTAKE, MILK-PRODUCTION, AND MILK-COMPOSITION, Journal of dairy science, 77(3), 1994, pp. 782-788
Lactating Holstein cows (n = 56) were fed high grain TMR in three feed
ing experiments to determine the effects of two rumen buffers on feed
intake, milk production, and milk composition. The basal diet in Exper
iment 1 was 40% grass silage, 12% whole cottonseed, and 48% concentrat
e with treatments of 1) control (no added buffer), 2) 1.5% of dietary
DM as Alkaten(R), and 3) 1.5% of dietary DM as Rumen 8(R). In Experime
nt 2, diets consisted of 12% corn and sun-flower silage, 20% whole cot
tonseed, and 68% concentrate with treatments as in Experiment 1. The d
iets in Experiment 3 were identical to those in Experiment 2, except t
hat buffers were increased to 2.2% of dietary DM. The DMI was greater
for cows fed buffered diets than control diets in Experiments 2 and 3.
Milk production was unaffected by treatment. Milk fat percentage was
unaffected by diet in Experiment 1 and averaged 3.8%. Milk fat depress
ion was alleviated for cows fed buffered diets in Experiments 2 and 3.
No differences in rumen fluid pH or molar percentage of VFA were sign
ificant among treatments.