Influence of Dietary Fiber and Sodium Bicarbonate on Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, Blood Metabolites and Performance of Dairy Cows Fed Pineapple Peel-Concentrate Mixed Diets

Abstract

Three mid-lactation primiparous crossbred Holstein dairy cows averaging 440.0 +7.3 kgBW were assigned in a 3x3 Latin square design. Each cow was fed one of three experimental diets including: T1) control, pineapple peel (PL)-concentrate pellet (CT) mixed diet at ratio of 70:30, T2) PL-CT mixed diet at ratio of 50:30 plus 20 % rice straw (RS) as dietary fiber (DF) supplementation and T3) PL-CT mixed diet at ratio of 70:30 with 1.2 % sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). The results revealed that feed intake and nutrient digestibility were unaffected by DF or NaHCO3 supplement (P>0.05). Body weight was slightly increased by DF and NaHCO3 inclusion (P>0.05). Differences in rumen pH and concentration of volatile fatty acids were small (P>0.05). Supplemental DF and NaHCO3 did not influence on blood metabolites, blood electrolytes, milk yield and milk composition (P>0.05). Results suggest the PL-CT mixed diet with or without both DF and NaHCO3 can be effectively used by dairy cows without adversely affecting digestive efficiency, metabolites and performance. Further research should be conducted to examine these effects with larger number of animals over a longer period of time.

Keywords: Pineapple peel; rice straw; sodium bicarbonate; dairy cow.