Page 18 - AWA Vol.42-No.6 issue

DAIRY FARMING

Acid Buf and Resilience in Feedlot Cattle

with improved gut integrity and more
stable faecal consistency. Maintain-
ing the integrity of the gastrointesti-
nal tract is increasingly recognised as
critical in feedlot cattle, particularly
in high-concentrate feeding systems
where disruptions to rumen and intes-
tinal function can quickly compromise
performance.
Importantly, the benefits observed
were not limited to digestion alone.
The study also demonstrated differ-
ences in biomarkers associated with
liver function and metabolic stress.
Control cattle recorded higher lev-
els of liver enzymes such as AST and
Maintaining animal performance Buf returned to baseline intake lev- GLDH during the recovery phase,
during periods of environmental and els more rapidly during the recovery while Acid Buf supplemented cattle
metabolic stress remains one of the phase, while control cattle continued generally maintained lower enzyme
biggest challenges in modern feed- to lag behind. activity. Elevated concentrations of
lot systems. Reduced feed intake, in- Beyond feed intake, the study iden- these enzymes are commonly associ-
flammation, digestive disruption, and tified notable differences in markers ated with increased tissue stress and
metabolic instability can rapidly affect associated with inflammation and metabolic strain, suggesting that Acid
both productivity and animal wellbe- immune activation. Researchers mea- Buf may have helped support recov-
ing. As a result, nutritional strategies sured Serum Amyloid A (SAA) and ery and physiological resilience.
that support cattle through these pe- Lipopolysaccharide Binding Protein
riods are becoming increasingly im- (LBP), both of which are commonly as- In addition, cattle supplemented with
portant. Acid Buf maintained higher blood glu-
sociated with systemic inflammation cose concentrations compared with
A recent study by Sammes et al. and compromised gut integrity. Steers control cattle during both the chal-
(2025) explored the effects of supple- supplemented with Acid Buf consis- lenge and recovery periods. This may
menting grain-fed beef steers with tently recorded lower concentrations indicate improved energy availability
Acid Buf, a calcareous marine algae of both markers compared with con- and metabolic stability during peri-
product, and the findings suggest its trol cattle. ods where cattle are typically under
benefits may extend well beyond tra- These findings suggest that Acid Buf greater physiological pressure.
ditional rumen buffering.
may help moderate the inflammatory Traditionally, Acid Buf has been rec-
One of the most significant outcomes cascade often associated with diges- ognised primarily as a rumen buffer-
observed in the study was the effect tive stress. Lower inflammatory ac- ing ingredient used in high-concen-
Acid Buf had on dry matter intake tivity is significant because immune trate diets. However, the findings from
(DMI). Cattle receiving the control ra- activation requires substantial energy, Sammes et al. suggest its role may be
tion experienced a substantial decline diverting nutrients away from growth far broader. The combination of im-
in intake during the study period, and performance and towards main- proved feed intake, lower inflamma-
whereas steers supplemented with taining physiological stability. tory markers, better indicators of gut
Acid Buf maintained considerably The study also highlighted obser- integrity, and reduced signs of liver
higher feed consumption throughout. vations related to gastrointestinal stress points towards a more compre-
The reduction in DMI was approxi- health. Researchers reported greater hensive systemic benefit.
mately 61% in the control cattle com- evidence of gut epithelial shedding in
pared with 37% in the Acid Buf group, control cattle, while steers receiving As feedlot systems continue to face
with supplemented steers consuming Acid Buf showed indicators consistent increasing environmental and nutri-
more than 2 kg additional dry matter tional challenges, supporting resil-
per head per day during the key chal- ience at both rumen and systemic lev-
lenge phase. els is becoming more important than
ever. The results from this study sug-
This is particularly important be- gest that Acid Buf may offer producers
cause maintaining feed intake during a valuable nutritional tool not only for
stressful periods is closely linked to buffering rumen conditions, but also
preserving energy balance, support- for helping cattle maintain perfor-
ing metabolic function, and limiting mance, recovery, and metabolic sta-
production losses. The researchers bility during periods of stress.
also noted that cattle receiving Acid Comparison of dry matter intake decline between
control and Acid Buf supplemented steers. Circle 17 on enquiry card
16 Vol. 42 No. 6