INTAKE OF A CONCENTRATE MIXTURE CONTAINING VARIOUS ANIONIC SALTS FED TO PREGNANT, NONLACTATING DAIRY-COWS

Intake of concentrate mixtures containing various anionic salts was ev aluated. Anionic salt treatments consisted of either NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, MgSO4. 7H2O, or CaCl2.2H2O in loose form or a pelleted mixture of ani onic salts (56% MgSO4.7H2O and 44% NH4Cl, Plus carriers). Experimental cows were 12 pregnant, nonlactating, pluriparous cows. Anionic salts were mixed with 2.27 kg of concentrate and offered once daily along wi th mixed grass and alfalfa hay fed separate from the concentrate mixtu re. Treatments were arranged in two replicates of balanced 6 x 6 Latin squares; periods were 5 d each. Full dose of the anionic salts was 2. 32 eq/d; one-third of this dose was fed on d 1 of each treatment perio d, two-thirds were fed on d 2, and the full dose was fed from d 3 thro ugh 5. Mean intake of the concentrate mixture was 97.6% for the contro l diet (no anionic salts added) and 76.5, 34.4, 34.0, 28.6, and 23.7% for the full dose Of MgSO4.7H2O, pelleted anionic salts mixture, (NH4) 2SO4, NH4Cl, and CaCl2.2H2O, respectively. The concentrate mixture con taining MgSO4.7H2O was consumed more completely than concentrate mixtu res containing any of the other anionic salt treatments.