Intake of a Concentrate Mixture Containing Various Anionic Salts Fed to Pregnant, Nonlactating Dairy Cows

Abstract

Intake of concentrate mixtures containing various anionic salts was evaluated. Anionic salt treatments consisted of either NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4, MgSO4·7H2O, or CaCl2·2H2O in loose form or a pelleted mixture of anionic salts (56% MgSO4·7H2O and 44% NH4Cl, plus carriers). Experimental cows were 12 pregnant, nonlactating, pluriparous cows. Anionic salts were mixed with 2.27 kg of concentrate and offered once daily along with mixed grass and alfalfa hay fed separate from the concentrate mixture. Treatments were arranged in two replicates of balanced 6 × 6 Latin squares; periods were 5 d each. Full dose of the anionic salts was 2.32 eq/d; one-third of this dose was fed on d 1 of each treatment period, two-thirds were fed on d 2, and the full dose was fed from d 3 through 5. Mean intake of the concentrate mixture was 97.6% for the control diet (no anionic salts added) and 76.5, 34.4, 34.0, 28.6, and 23.7% for the full dose of MgSO4·7H2O, pelleted anionic salts mixture, (NH4)2SO4, NH4Cl, and CaCl2·2H2O, respectively. The concentrate mixture containing MgSO4·7H2O was consumed more completely than concentrate mixtures containing any of the other anionic salt treatments. © 1993, American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.