Acid Buf: built on science and sustainable production
Acid Buf inclusion levels at 0.125%, 0.3%, 0.6%, 0.9% and 1.2% were tested in high producing Holstein cows. 0.3% inclusion level of Acid Buf resulted in the highest 4% FCM production, whereas 0.6% inclusion level resulted in the highest total VFA production levels in the rumen (Cruywagen et al., 2004. J Dairy Sci.).
5% Acid Buf inclusion compared similar to 1.0% sodium bicarbonate in beef feedlot diets with regards to rumen pH. Both buffers performed better compared to a negative control (Montanez-Voldez et al., 2007. J Animal Sci.).
When compared with sodium bicarbonate in high concentrate diets fed to lactating dairy cows, Acid Buf increased ruminal pH compared to the control diet and supported greater milk yield compared to diets supplemented with or without sodium bicarbonate (Cruywagen et al., 2007. J Dairy Sci.).
Feedlot cattle supplemented with 6g Acid Buf/kg DM, performed similar to feed cattle supplemented with 20-33mg/kg monensin. This trial was conducted in a commercial feedlot in South Africa (Haasbroek et al., 2013. JAM).
Inclusion of ± 90g of Acid Buf/Holstein cow/day did not increase DMI like ± 200g of sodium bicarbonate over time, but resulted in a better FCR over time compared to sodium bicarbonate (Bernard et al., 2014. Prof Animal Sci.).
Supplementing 317g sodium bicarbonate/cow/day did not result in better performance when compared to 100g Acid Buf/cow/day. Feeding Acid Buf during the close-up period increased milk protein yield when compared to a negative control (Wu et al., 2015. J Dairy Sci.).
Time of rumen pH below 5.5 was shorter (4.0 hours) when Acid Buf was supplemented at 90g/cow/day compared to 180g sodium bicarbonate (7.5 hours) and negative control (13.2 hours). Milk, fat, protein and lactose yields were higher compared to both sodium bicarbonate and negative control (Cruywagen et al., 2015).
Feedlot lambs supplemented with 5g Acid Buf/kg DM had similar ADG and FCR performance compared to feedlot lambs supplemented with monensin (15-20ppm) (Gouws et al., 2016. JAM).
40g Acid Buf/steer/day improved ADG and FCR compared to 80g sodium bicarbonate/steer/day when supplemented via a feedlot diet. Meat quality was also improved – sheer force was decreased, indicating more tender meat (Rossi et al., 2019. Brazilian J Animal Sci.).
Time of rumen pH below 5.8 was shorter (2.9 hours) when Acid Buf was supplemented at 4.5 g/kg DM compared to 8.9 g/kg DM sodium bicarbonate (7.9 hours) and negative control (10.6 hours). Milk fat% of Acid Buf treatment was higher compared to control (Neville et al., 2019. J. Dairy Sci.).
Celtic Sea Minerals, the manufacturer of Acid Buf, hold OMRI, Organic trust and OF&G certification for Acid Buf. In October 2016, Celtic Sea Minerals successfully undertook a novel environmental experiment in Iceland. The experiment included the harvesting, relocating and reseeding of live Lithothamnium calcarium algae.
Celtic Sea Minerals recently opened a new fermentation lab, R&D lab as well as a QA lab at the newly constructed Marigot Bio-tech Centre. This centre allows their technical teams to gain a greater understanding of the metabolic pathways involved in rumen fermentation and a greater scientific foundation for their products.