Center for Research, Teaching and Extension in Animal Science (NUPEEC), Federal University of Pelotas (UFPEL), Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2024 Sep 6;56(7):255. doi: 10.1007/s11250-024-04094-9.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of supplementing sodium bicarbonate or a commercial blend of buffering agents (BBA) comprising calcareous calcitic, magnesium oxide, calcareous algae, and sodium bicarbonate on the productive, behavioral and metabolic parameters of Holstein cows fed starchy diets. Over a 60-day trial period, thirty-six multiparous cows with an average milk yield of 38.84 ± 9.24 kg/day and 63.74 ± 18.63 days in milk (DIM), were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (n = 18) received a supplementation of 1.1% dry matter (DM) of sodium bicarbonate (Raudi, Totalmix, Brazil), while the BBA group (n = 18) was administered with 0.5% DM of a blend of buffering agents (Equalizer, Nutron/Cargill, Brazil). The mean values of ruminal pH (control 6.80 ± 0.06 and BBA 6.77 ± 0.06; P > 0.05) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) production (control: acetate 62.63 ± 1.29%, propionate 22.99 ± 1.07%, butyrate 14.30 ± 0.52%; BBA: acetate 63.07 ± 1.32%, propionate 23.47 ± 1.10%, butyrate 13.70 ± 0.57%), were similar (P > 0,05) between the two groups. The value of faecal pH was higher (P < 0.05) in the BBA group (6.25 ± 0.02) than the control group (6.12 ± 0.02). Animals treated with BBA exhibited lower (P < 0,05) dry matter intake (DMI) (24.75 ± 0.64 kg/day), higher feed efficiency (FE) (1.64 ± 0.03), and reduced feeding frequency (52.89 ± 3.73 n°/day) than the control group (DMI, 26.75 ± 0.62 kg/day; FE, 1.50 ± 0.03; feeding frequency, 66.07 ± 3.64 n°/day). Milk production remained similar across both groups (control, 39.11 ± 0.92 kg/day and BBA, 39.87 ± 0.92 kg/day; P > 0.05). Notably, the control group displayed a higher (P < 0,05) concentration of milk protein (1.21 ± 0.05 kg/day) than the BBA (1.18 ± 0.05 kg/day) group. The study concluded that both treatments effectively buffered the rumen and mitigated the risk of ruminal acidosis. Moreover, the higher faecal pH in the BBA-treated group suggests potential intestinal action attributable to the synergistic effects of diverse additives with buffering properties. Despite a reduced DMI, BBA-treated animals exhibited improved FE.
本研究旨在评估补充碳酸氢钠或由碳酸钙、氧化镁、钙质藻类和碳酸氢钠组成的商业缓冲剂混合物（BBA）对淀粉饮食的荷斯坦奶牛生产性能、行为和代谢参数的影响。在 60 天的试验期间，将 36 头具有平均产奶量 38.84±9.24kg/天和 63.74±18.63天泌乳期（DIM）的经产奶牛随机分为两组。对照组（n=18）接受 1.1%干物质（DM）碳酸氢钠（Raudi，Totalmix，巴西）补充，而 BBA 组（n=18）给予 0.5% DM 的缓冲剂混合物（Equalizer，Nutron/Cargill，巴西）。两组间瘤胃 pH 值（对照组 6.80±0.06 和 BBA 6.77±0.06；P>0.05）和挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）产量（对照组：乙酸 62.63±1.29%，丙酸 22.99±1.07%，丁酸 14.30±0.52%；BBA：乙酸 63.07±1.32%，丙酸 23.47±1.10%，丁酸 13.70±0.57%）相似（P>0.05）。BBA 组（6.25±0.02）粪便 pH 值高于对照组（6.12±0.02）（P<0.05）。用 BBA 治疗的动物的干物质采食量（DMI）（24.75±0.64kg/天）较低（P<0.05），饲料效率（FE）（1.64±0.03）较高，采食频率（52.89±3.73n°/天）较低（P<0.05）与对照组（DMI，26.75±0.62kg/天；FE，1.50±0.03；采食频率，66.07±3.64n°/天）。两组的产奶量均相似（对照组 39.11±0.92kg/天和 BBA 组 39.87±0.92kg/天；P>0.05）。值得注意的是，对照组牛奶蛋白浓度（1.21±0.05kg/天）高于 BBA 组（1.18±0.05kg/天）（P<0.05）。该研究得出结论，两种处理方法都能有效地缓冲瘤胃，降低瘤胃酸中毒的风险。此外，BBA 处理组粪便 pH 值较高，表明可能存在肠道作用，这归因于具有缓冲作用的多种添加剂的协同效应。尽管 DMI 降低，但 BBA 处理的动物表现出更高的 FE。
