Relation of Dietary Acetate and Lactates to Dry Matter Intake and Volatile Fatty Acid Metabolism

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Abstract
A basal ration of sorghum silage, beet pulp and soybean oil meal was used to evaluate the effects of sodium acetate and a mixture of sodium and calcium lactates on voluntary intake by young bovine. Lactates added to provide 9.0% lactic acid-equivalent in the ration dry matter (HL) and acetate at 2.8% acetic acid-equivalent (HA) increased dry matter intake; at lower levels, 5.9% lactic and 1.5% acetic, intake was not significantly affected. The HA supplement Increased the molar percent of acetic acid in the rumen contents; whereas the HL supplement decreased acetic acid and increased propionic acid. Blood levels of acetic, butyric, and propionic acids were highest for the HL treatment. These results suggest that the lower dry matter intake from silages compared to non-fermented roughages is due to factor (s) other than the acetate and lactate content of silages.