Effect of Feeding Buffers to Dairy Cows Grazing Pearl Millet or Sudan Grass

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Abstract
Twelve Holstein cows were assigned in a 2 x 3 factorial design to pearl millet or sudangrass pasture. Two cows on each forage served as controls, 2 were supplemented with 1.00 lb KHCO3 and 2 with 0.42 lb MgCO3 /day. There were no significant differences among any of the experimental treatments for daily milk production, % solids not fat (SNF) and protein in the milk, or for changes in body weight. Cows grazing pearl millet had lower (P< .01) milk fat tests than did those grazing sudangrass. The buffers had no effect on milk fat tests. Blood serum values for Ca, Mg, Na, K, P and Cl were within the normal range. Both the KHCO3 and the MgCO3 increased the total alkalinity of the urine as compared to the non-supplemented ration. Animals grazing pearl millet had lower (P< .05) [image]. % of rumen acetic, butyric and isovaleric acids and higher (P< .01) [image] % of propionic and n-valeric acids than did cows grazing sudangrass. These [image] % of volatile fatty acids (VFA) were not influenced by the addition of KHCO3 or MgCO3 to the rations.