Action urged to prevenmt acidosis in cattle this winter

The inclusion of the rumen buffer, Alkacid, in beef and dairy cattle diets this winter is strongly recommended by Harbro Ltd. High lactic acid silage this year with a low pH and the availability of cheap barley means acidosis could be a real problem in

Alkacid contains a unique blend of buffering salts which immediately neutralise acids produced in the rumen following concentrate feeding.



The unique structure of Alkacid allows it to absorb rumen acids throughout the day, resulting in excellent long-term buffering which improves rumen stability and creates the conditions for improved dry matter intake and animal performance.



The blend of essential oils and spices in Alkacid also stimulates saliva production which in itself is a natural buffer.



Alkacid is ideally suited to conditions where animals are loose in the dung or where there are “bubbles” or whole grain in the dung, animals producing cud balls, lower butterfat levels in dairy cows and lameness.



“Improved rumen function as a result of the inclusion of Alkacid in diets boosts dry matter intake and results in improved milk yield and butterfat in dairy cows and better liveweight gains in beef cattle,” says Harbro nutritionist, Matt Palmer.



Depending on feeding rate, which can vary from 50 – 100g/head/day, the cost of Alkacid works out at 2.8 – 5.5p/head/day and is considerably more cost effective than sodium bicarbonate.



Many farmers can testify to the benefits of including Alkacid in their beef and dairy cattle diets, especially in situations where silage quality is poor. Dairy farmer, Gordon Sloan, reckons the product has boosted milk yield by as much as 10-15% in his 170-cow dairy herd at Townhead, Auchinleck, Ayr.



Acidic silage was identified as the problem and the introduction of Alkacid resulted in an immediate improvement in silage intake, which increased from 25kg to 32kg/day within six days, boosting milk production by four litres/cow/day within a few weeks.



“It doesn’t matter how good the ration is if you can’t get the cows to eat it,” says Gordon. “We just couldn’t get the cows to eat enough because of acidity in the stomach, despite including sodium bicarbonate in the feed, and cows were peaking about three litres below what they should have been achieving. Since introducing Alkacid, intakes have increased dramatically, enabling our cows to meet their genetic potential.”



The herd is now averaging over 9000 litres on a Total Mixed Ration. In addition to Alkacid, Yea-Sacc is also included to aid fibre digestion and Energizer Gold to enhance butterfat.



Alkacid, which is exclusive to Harbro, is included in most Harbro beef and dairy compounds and blends but is also available for inclusion in home-mixes and Total Mixed Rations.

Thursday, 10 December 2009 5:12 pm