INFLUENCE OF DIETARY CATION-ANION BALANCE ON PH RUMEN FLUID IN LACTATING DAIRY CATTLE

In the trial with eight dairy cows of Czech Fleckvieh breed was monitored the effect of addition of limestone to the diet on pH of the rumen fluid. Monitoring was performed using a probe for measuring and records of pH and of temperature within the rumen. Milk production was recorded every day. The daily ration TMR feeding limestone was added over a period of three weeks. The feeding intervention with 100g limestone was compared with the control. When feeding control, the average pH of 5.82 +/- 0.178 (n = 1010) and after addition of limestone feed, the pH had to 5.85 +/- 0.238 (n = 1010). There was also an increase in daily milk production - control 25.62 +/- 6.39 liters of milk per day, feeding limestone - 25.83 +/- 4.96 liters per day (n = 111). Regulation of dietary cation-anion balance may become a useful tool for changing pH and improving the performance of lactating dairy cattle. DACB result in the control group was 77.1meq/kg dry matter and in the group with limestone was DACB 89.2 meq/kg dry matter.