Development And Application Of Anionic Salts On Periparturient Dairy Cows

Four experiments were conducted to research and develop an anionic salts product and its application effects on periparturient dairy cows.Experiment 1. Twelve multiparous cows were randomly divided into four groups and were individually fed diets supplemented with one of four anionic salts (1.87% DM basis, two formula v.s. two processing methods) to determine the optimum mineral combination and processing method. Immediately postpartum, cows were fed a normal lactation diet with a positive DCAD value. Results of this study showed that DMIs of the four groups were reduced but no statistical significant difference wereobserved anong the groups (P>0.05). The urinary pH valuesof the four groups declined and ranged between 5.5~6.5, but there were no significantly differences among them. The concentration of Ca in serum of cows feeding diets supplemented gelatinized anionic salt formula 1 was increased (13.27 mg/dL v.s. 12.38 mg/dL, 12.38 mg/dL, 10.94 mg/dL), but, there had also no significant differences of concentrations of Ca, P, Na, Mg, K in serum. However, based on the observation of cows'feeding behavour and the numerically higher content of Ca ion in serum, we believe that gelatinized anionic salt formula 1 has potential benefits to increase Ca concentraton in serum of periparturient cows, and to improve the palatability of anionic salts.Experiment 2. Nine multiparous cows were fed diets containing gelatinized anionic salts with cornstarch and molasses for 21-day prepartum to determine the effects of acidified diet on DMI, serum and urinary parameters and subsequent milk production. Dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) for precalving diets was approximately +9.72, -2.40, -9.64 meq/100g DM (Na+K-Cl+S) for the control, treatment1, and 2 diets, respectively. Immediately postpartum, cows were fed a normal lactation diet with positive DCAD value. Mean serum Ca concentrations were significantly increased for cows fed the treatment2 diet with a DCAD of–9.64 meq/100g DM (P<0.001). Sodium in serum of cows fed the treatment1diet was higher than cows fed the control and treatment2 diets (P<0.001). Hydroxyproline in serum and urinary pH was reduced by inclusion of anionic salts (P<0.001). Excretion of urinary Ca was highest for cows fed the treatment2 diet, and higher for cows fed the treatment1 diet, and lowest for cows fed the control diet (P<0.0001). There were no significant differences of PTH, P, K, and Mg in serum among the three treatments. The milk production of cows fed the treatment 1 diet increased about 27% of milk than the cows fed the control diet from the second to the third month. These data indicate that a diet based on reed hay and silage supplemented with gelatinized anionic salts with a DCAD value–9.64 meq/100g DM is suitable for prepartum dairy cows. Furthermore, such a diet is beneficial due to its capacity to induce sub acute metabolic acidosis, increase periparturient Ca in serum, improve subsequent milk yield, and without reduction in DMI.Experiment 3. Ten multiparous cows were fed diets containing gelatinized anionic salts for 21-day prepartum to determine application of anionic salts. Cows were randomly assigned to be individually fed one of two diets (treatment I, 3% anionic salts of diet DM; treatment II, 3% ANIMATE of diet DM). Immediately postpartum, cows were fed a normal lactation diet with positive DCAD value. Results of this study showed that DMI of the two treatments reduced at 2 weeks prepartum. DMI of treatment I was higher than treatment II on the seventh day prepartum, but there was no significant difference between the two groups at other days. The diets supplemented with different anionic salts did not significantly affect urinary pH value, serum and urinary parameters and subsequent milk production. These data indicate that self-manufacture anionic salts can substitute ANIMATE, and reduce feed cost without affecting application.Experiment 4. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of anionic salts on rumen fermentation in vitro. Diets were assigned three groups (control, 0% anionic salts; treatment 1, 1.87% anionic salts; treatment 2, 3% anionic salts contained in dietary DM). After gas production (GP) was recorded, the content was determined for the pH value, the degradability of DM and concentration of N-NH3. Results of this study showed that the anionic salts did not affected GP. Rate of GP decreased significantly for the two treatment groups compared with the control (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the treatment 2 and the control. The degradability of DM decreased and the pH value increased for the two treatment groups compared with the control, but no significant difference (P>0.05). Concentration of N-NH3 increased significantly for the treatment 1 compared with the treatment 2 (P<0.05), but no significant differences between the two treatment groups and the control (P>0.05).