Effects of sodium carbonate on milk yield, milk composition, and blood components of dairy cows in early lactation.

Eighteen multiparous Friesian cows were paired according to lactation number and expected calving date and assigned randomly to one of two diets in a crossover design experiment to study effects of sodium carbonate on milk yield, milk composition, blood metabolites plus Na, and K in early lactation. Diets were concentrate containing either 0 or 1.2% sodium carbonate (as fed) for ad libitum intake plus 7.0 kg of wet brewers grains and 5.5 kg of long-stemmed alfalfa hay per cow daily. Dry matter intake, milk yield, milk protein percentage and yield, and percentages of milk lactose and milk SNF were not significantly affected. Compared with the control diet, the sodium carbonate treatment increased milk fat percentage (3.98 vs. 3.53%) and yield (1.23 vs. 1.07 kg/d), 4% FCM yield (30.9 vs. 28.2 kg/d) and milk total solids (12.47 vs. 12.04%). No significant differences were observed in blood plasma concentrations of glucose, CP, urea, acetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, triglycerides, FFA, Na, or K when sodium carbonate was added to diets for early lactation cows.