QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Oba, M. Articles by Allen, M. S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Oba, M. Articles by Allen, M. S.

Hypophagic Effects of Ammonium Are Greater When Infused with Propionate Compared with Acetate in Lactating Dairy Cows

Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI

⁴To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: allenm{at}msu.edu.

The objective of this experiment was to determine interactions between hypophagic effects of propionate and ammonium in lactating dairy cows. Eight ruminally cannulated Holstein cows in mid-lactation were used in a duplicated 4 x 4 Latin square design experiment with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors evaluated were type of volatile fatty acid (VFA; acetate vs. propionate) and type of salt (sodium vs. ammonium). Treatment solutions were infused continuously into the rumen at a rate of 16.7 mmol of VFA salts/min starting 2 h before feeding and ending 12 h after feeding. Hypophagic effects of ammonium were significantly greater for cows infused with propionate (4.3 vs. 12.1 kg/12 h; SEM = 1.3) compared with acetate (13.5 vs. 15.3 kg/12 h; SEM = 1.3; interaction P < 0.01). This interaction was attributed to a greater reduction in meal frequency for ammonium treatment compared with sodium treatment when infused with propionate (3.9 vs. 7.2/12 h; SEM = 0.8) compared with acetate (6.6 vs. 7.0/12 h; SEM = 0.8), indicating that infusion of ammonium propionate reduced hunger. Meal size was decreased by infusion of propionate compared with acetate, but was not affected by ammonium compared with sodium, indicating that ammonium did not affect satiety. Mechanisms to explain the interactions between ammonium and propionate on meal frequency and feed intake warrant further investigation.

KEY WORDS: • propionate infusion • ammonium • urea synthesis • feeding behavior • dairy cows

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. Sairanen, H. Khalili, J. I. Nousiainen, S. Ahvenjarvi, and P. Huhtanen The Effect of Concentrate Supplementation on Nutrient Flow to the Omasum in Dairy Cows Receiving Freshly Cut Grass J Dairy Sci, April 1, 2005; 88(4): 1443 - 1453. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]