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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #79023
Title: RELATIVE ACIDOGENIC ACTIVITY OF COMMONLY USED ANIONIC SALTS - RE-THINKING THE DIETARY CATION-ANION DIFFERENCE EQUATIONS

Author
item Goff, Jesse
item RUIZ, RODRIGO - ARGENTINA VISITOR
item Horst, Ronald

Submitted to: American Dairy Science Association Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Addition of anions to prepartal rations of dairy cows has proved a useful means of reducing dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) and reducing the incidence of milk fever; presumably because of their ability to acidify blood and urine which improves calcium homeostasis. We evaluated the acidifying activity of 6 anion sources in 6 nonpregnant, nonlactating cows. Cows were fed 2 Eq of each anion source in a limit fed, corn silage-alfalfa diet. Following acclimation, each cow was fed a different source of anion in each of 6 experimental periods. Anion source was randomized across treatment periods. Treatment periods were separated by 3-day rest periods. Urine samples were collected on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th days of feeding the anions for determination of average urine pH values for each animal. These data demonstrate that sulfate salts are much less acidogenic than chloride salts. Elemental sulfur is non-effective. The most popular DCAD equation gives equal value to dietary sulfur and chloride as acidifying agents.