Husbandry and livestock Feed
Using Baking soda in Animal Feeding
Livestock such as dairy cow and sheep which have a good ability to digest fodder and make milk should have a healthy rumen for maximum fermentation of foods and producing the microbial protein. The unhealthy rumen environment will cause poor digestion and subsequently many metabolic diseases will be developed.
The most important factors for normal functioning of the rumen are its amount of acidity and PH. The optimal rumen PH for fodder digestion is from 6.2 to 6.8. If the rumen pH is less than 6, the rate of fodder digestion will be decreased and the animal will be faced with metabolic diseases known as severe acidosis. Buffers are used as feed additives in the animal husbandry industry in order to prevent this.
- Buffer is a combination of weak acid and salt that which is resistant against the PH changes and the hydrogen ion concentration. Buffers will optimize the rumen acidity and thereby will improve its environmental health based on the proper microbial fermentation of the food.
- On the basis of animal nutrition experts and numerous tests, a diet of sodium bicarbonate will increase the amount of milk fat and milk production by providing conditions for better growth of the rumen microbial population. Baking soda will help the growth of beneficial bacteria in the rumen and increase the fermentation by preventing its PH change and its stability. Sodium bicarbonate is the ideal buffer and its PH is close to the optimal PH of the rumen.
Poultry Feeding
The Most Important Benefits of Using Baking Soda in the Poultry Feeding
1. Reduce the negative impact of heat stress: under the heat stress conditions, the poultry will lose a lot of carbon dioxide through panting (deep breathing); as a result, they will be faced with the blood bicarbonate and body fluids increase. Subsequently, the acid-base balance will be imbalance and the severe alkalosis will be caused. Adding baking soda to the diet of poultry will have beneficial effects on poultry farming in addition to preventing alkalosis and ascites.
2. Improving the Quality, Production and Increase the Egg Shell Thickness: sodium bicarbonate will alkalize the diet, justify the PH and increase the activity of carbonic anhydrase (which plays an important role in the formation of egg shell).
3. Improving the Weight Gain: increasing the conversion factor, correcting the foods intake efficiency and improving the poultry growth, especially under the conditions of heat stress and high density in the herd.
4. Improving the Litter Quality: by replacing a portion of salt in diet with baking soda, the poultry will consume water with a great decrease and the problem of high litter moisture is also solved.
5. Improving the Effect of Some Anti- coccidiosis Medicines: simultaneous use of Monensin and Salinomycin along with baking soda will increase the effectiveness of these medication products.