A Naturally Occurring Mineral as a Buffer in the Diet of Lactating Dairy Cows

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Abstract
In Experiment 1, 24 cows were used to compare the acceptance of concentrate mixtures containing (1) no buffer, (2) 1.5% sodium biacrbonate, or (3) 1.5% Alkaten (a naturally occurring mineral containing primarily sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate). During the 1st wk the cows fed Alkaten had sharply reduced concentrate intakes. By the 3rd wk, concentrate intakes were nearly equal among groups. Total feed consumption was equal by the 2nd wk because cows compensated by eating more forage. In Experiment 2, 27 cows were assigned at 1 d postpartum for 7 wk to one of three complete rations of 15% whole cottonseed, 30% corn silage, and 55% concentrate with buffers as in Experiment 1. Feed intakes of 3.04, 3.08, and 3.31 kg/100 kg of body weight, respectively, were not different for the 7 wk, but cows fed Alkaten ate more feed wk 4 through 7. There was no depression in feed intake in wk 1, suggesting that blending the concentrate with forage resolved the initial depression seen in Experiment 1. Rumen pH, rumen volatile fatty acid molar percentages and ratios, and urine pH means suggest that Alkaten is similar to sodium bicarbonate in buffering or neutralizing action.