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The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows

Dissertation (MSc (Agric) Animal Science: Animal Nutrition)--University of Pretoria, 2021.

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Other Authors: Erasmus, L.J. (Lourens Jacobus)
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2022
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Erasmus, L.J. (Lourens Jacobus)
author_browse Erasmus, L.J. (Lourens Jacobus)
author_facet Erasmus, L.J. (Lourens Jacobus)
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Agric) Animal Science: Animal Nutrition)--University of Pretoria, 2021.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/86191
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:41.144Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/86191 The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows Erasmus, L.J. (Lourens Jacobus) u16007639@tuks.co.za Meeske, Robin Harrison, Sarah Christine UCTD Rumen buffering agents Rumen fermentation Nutrient digestibility Milk composition Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02 Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-03 Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-12 Dissertation (MSc (Agric) Animal Science: Animal Nutrition)--University of Pretoria, 2021. Feeding highly fermentable carbohydrate-rich diets to dairy cows is universally practised to achieve the energy intake needed to support higher levels of milk production. However, this dietary regimen can reduce rumen pH, and thereby adversely impact rumen fermentation, milk production and composition. Lithothamnium (Lith), calcified remains of a marine algae, is an alternative buffering agent to negate these effects and may provide advantages over sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) due to its slower rumen dissolution rate. Whilst past research has only considered effects on pH, this study looks at new in-vitro methodologies such as the buffer value index (BVI) and buffering capacity (BC) have been developed to simulate the rumen environment and how different buffers will react over different incubation intervals. Furthermore, an in vivo 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment, spanning a total length of 92 days was carried out with 4 lactating dairy cows. Four treatment diets were formulated, each differing by the type of buffer included, namely; Control, NaHCO3, Lith A, Lith B. the following parameters were recorded; milk production parameters, feed intake and digestiblity, animal health, ruminal pH parameters. Sodium bicarbonate and Lith A as buffer sources aided in significantly increasing the dry matter and crude protein digestibility. Increased DMI for the control diet may have contributed towards increased milk yields. It may be speculated that lowered SCC for Lith B may be attributed to the effect of the exogenous buffer to aid in udder health and improve cow immunity. Significant differences between Lith B and NaHCO3 were observed for mean pH, with Lith B exhibiting a lower ruminal pH and increased time spent below pH 5.8 in the rumen. This low pH contradicted previous studies that claim lowered milk fat under such ruminal conditions, whilst the milk fat in this study was numerically higher for Lith B. Increased butyrate content for cows fed Lith A versus the control may aid in explaining milk fat numerical differences between the control diet and Lith A. Although buffers do in turn help to alleviate low pH problems in the rumen, however, alternative strategies which investigate fermentation pathway control may be more successful in combating bouts of SARA in the long-term. bs2026 Animal and Wildlife Sciences MSc (Agric) Animal Science: Animal Nutrition Unrestricted SDG-02: Zero hunger SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-12: Responsible consumption and production 2022-07-14T13:59:44Z 2022-07-14T13:59:44Z 2022-09 2021 Dissertation * S2022 https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/86191 en © 2022 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Rumen buffering agents
Rumen fermentation
Nutrient digestibility
Milk composition
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-03
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-12
The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows
title The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows
title_full The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows
title_fullStr The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows
title_full_unstemmed The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows
title_short The effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, and milk composition in dairy cows
title_sort effects of three rumen buffering agents on rumen fermentation parameters nutrient digestibility and milk composition in dairy cows
topic UCTD
Rumen buffering agents
Rumen fermentation
Nutrient digestibility
Milk composition
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-02
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-03
Natural and agricultural sciences theses SDG-12
url https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/86191