Responses in the voluntary intake of hay or silage by lactating cows to intraruminal infusions of sodium acetate or sodium propionate, the tonicity of rumen fluid or rumen distension.

Rumen-fistulated lactating cows were individually fed on hay or silage and intakes were monitored during 3 h treatment periods and for 2 h after. Each experiment used five, six or seven animals and the treatments were applied in a Latin Square design. Sodium acetate infusions of 1.8-11.0 mol in 4.5 litres water caused a dose-related depression in hay intake, the extent being 82 g dry matter (DM)/mol infused (P < 0.01). Sodium acetate infusions of 6.0-15.0 mol in 4.5 litres water caused a dose-related depression in silage intake of 118 g DM/mol infused. Rumen fluid pH for both diets was unaffected by treatment. Acetate and Na concentrations were increased and significantly negatively correlated with intake of both diets. Infusions of 2-8 mol sodium propionate caused a dose-related depression of hay intake which was significant when cow and day effects were accounted for. Sodium propionate infusions of 4-8 mol significantly depressed silage intake by 140 g DM/mol infused (P < 0.001). Rumen fluid pH was unaffected by treatment while propionate and Na concentrations were elevated and significantly negatively correlated with intake for both diets. Inflation of a rubber balloon in the rumen with 12.5-20 litres warm water resulted in a dose-dependent depression in hay intake of 66 g DM/l distension (P < 0.05). There was significant overeating during the 2 h following the 20 litre treatment. With silage, 15-25 litres of balloon distension for 3 h resulted in a dose-dependent depression in intake of 28 g DM/l distension (P < 0.001). There was no significant overeating during the 2 h following distension. When given in physiological amounts, at the lower end of the range used in these experiments, acetate, propionate and distension of the rumen did not significantly affect hay intakes. However, in each case the linear relationship between intake depression and level of treatment suggested that these factors could contribute to the control of feed intake.