Effect of Feeding Different Roughage Levels and Sodium Acetate in High-Grain Rations on Milk Production, Milk Constituents, and Rumen Volatile Fatty Acids

Two trials, tea animals in Trial 1 and 12 animals in Trial 2, were conducted to study the effect of feeding program on milk production, milk constituents, and l~umen volatile fatty acids. A switchback design was used consisting of 7-wk periods, 3-wk changeover periods, and 4-wk comparison periods. Treatments in Trial 1 were (1) 10 lb pineapple bran plus concentrate, (2) Treatment 1 with 2.9:1% sodium acetate in concentrate, (3) 12 lb pineapple bran, 50 lb chopped Napier grass and concentrate. Treatments in Trial 2 were (1) 10 ]b pineapple bran plus concentrates, (2) Treatment 1 with 2.83% sodium acetate in concentrate, (3) Treatment 1 with 5.66% sodium acetate in concentrate.