ABSTRACT
Objectives
The effects of brucite (BR; magnesium hydroxide) and sodium bicarbonate (SB) on ruminal
fermentation characteristics were evaluated following a ruminal glucose challenge.
Materials and Methods
Four Holstein steers were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design with 4 dietary treatments:
(1) control (CTL; no buffer), (2) 0.5% BR, (3) 1% BR, or (4) 1% SB. The basal diet
contained 70% steam-flaked wheat. On the collection day, 500 g of glucose was introduced
through a ruminal cannula 1 h after the morning feeding.
Results and Discussion
Time required for 50% reactivity at pH 6.0 of BR and SB was 450 and 0.5 min, respectively.
Ruminal pH tended to decrease (P < 0.09) 1 h after feeding (just before the glucose challenge), but ruminal fluid
buffer capacity was greater (P = 0.01) 1 h before feeding for CTL than buffer-supplemented diets. Average pH was
not influenced by buffer supplementation. Buffers tended (P = 0.07) to reduce average ruminal buffer capacity. Ruminal pH and lactate had an
inverse relationship (r = −0.59). Average ruminal VFA concentration tended to be lower
(P = 0.06) for SB than BR. Compared with CTL, buffers decreased (P = 0.03) ruminal protozoa. Supplemental BR had lower (P < 0.05) average ruminal glucose concentration than SB. Buffer supplementation decreased
average ruminal osmolality (P = 0.02).
Implications and Applications
Ruminal alkalizing equivalence of BR and SB were similar. Neither appreciably altered
ruminal buffering capacity. Although, both reduced ruminal lactate during the first
few hours following a glucose challenge. Buffer supplementation may depress ruminal
protozoa.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 23,
2022
Received:
October 10,
2021
Footnotes
The authors have not declared any conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
