| THE EFFECT OF SODIUM (Na), POTASSIUM (K) AND MAGNESIUM (Mg) SUPPLEMENTATION ON THE MILK PRODUCTION OF DAIRY COWS DURING SUMMER ENVIRONMENT |
Sontakke U.B.,Muneendra kumar, santosh kumar and J.P.Sehgal
Dairy cattle Nutrition Division
NDRI, Karnal - 132001
In tropical and sub-tropical pasture-based dairy systems, a combination of high air temperature and humidity during late spring to early autumn season leads to heat stress in lactating cows. Livestock in warm climate have to depend largely upon seasonal forage to fulfill their mineral requirements. These forages rarely satisfy all of the needed mineral requirements of grazing livestock. It has been reported that mineral concentrations in both soils and plants affect the mineral status of grazing livestock.
Dairy cattle generate heat from two sources: the environmental temperature and humidity, and their internal body metabolism and digestion. Heat stress lowers dry matter intake (Since fiber undergoes more fermentation in the rumen than grain, it increases body temperature more), especially forage intake, making it difficult to meet energy needs. Requirements for specific nutrients for milk production, such as Na and K, appear to differ during thermal stress compared to thermoneutral conditions.
Sodium along with chlorine and balance concentration of potassium are indispensable for a number of important physiologic functions. Electrolyte minerals, sodium (Na) and potassium (K) are important in the maintenance of water balance, ion balance and the acid-base status of heat-stressed cows. The Na-K ATP’ase pump is essential for all eukaryotic cells, enabling transport of glucose, amino acids, and phosphate into cells, and hydrogen, calcium, bicarbonate, potassium, and chloride ions out of cells.
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