{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/98846"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/98846","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Use of polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of close-up non-lactating dairy cows","abstract":"Polyhalite is a natural mineral that could be fed as an acidogenic product to induce a metabolic acidosis and prevent clinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows after calving. The overall objective of this study was to determine if the use of polyhalite mineral in the diets of pre-partum non-lactating dairy cows was effective as an acidogenic product. We measured the urine pH, dry matter intake, milk yield, and calcium and magnesium concentration of urine and serum in pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows consuming diets containing a low dose of polyhalite (200 g/cow/day), a high dose of polyhalite (400 g/cow/day), calcium chloride (250 g/cow/day), or no acidogenic product. We hypothesized that including polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows will reduce urine pH and stimulate calcium metabolism mechanisms. We found that polyhalite effectively reduced urine pH and did not affect dry matter intake, and the stimulation of calcium metabolism was observed through an increase of calcium output in urine. In conclusion, feeding polyhalite mineral is an effective means for inducing metabolic acidosis without reducing dry matter intake. Based on these results, polyhalite should be fed at a dose of 400 g or more per cow per day to reduce urine pH.","abstract_html":"Polyhalite is a natural mineral that could be fed as an acidogenic product to induce a metabolic acidosis and prevent clinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows after calving. The overall objective of this study was to determine if the use of polyhalite mineral in the diets of pre-partum non-lactating dairy cows was effective as an acidogenic product. We measured the urine pH, dry matter intake, milk yield, and calcium and magnesium concentration of urine and serum in pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows consuming diets containing a low dose of polyhalite (200 g/cow/day), a high dose of polyhalite (400 g/cow/day), calcium chloride (250 g/cow/day), or no acidogenic product. We hypothesized that including polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows will reduce urine pH and stimulate calcium metabolism mechanisms. We found that polyhalite effectively reduced urine pH and did not affect dry matter intake, and the stimulation of calcium metabolism was observed through an increase of calcium output in urine. In conclusion, feeding polyhalite mineral is an effective means for inducing metabolic acidosis without reducing dry matter intake. Based on these results, polyhalite should be fed at a dose of 400 g or more per cow per day to reduce urine pH.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Richardson, Emily Sue"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science in Life Sciences","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Dairy Science","degree_department":"Dairy Science","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Ferreira, Gonzalo"],"committee_members":["Daniels, Kristy M.","Schramm, Hollie H."],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-06-12","date_published":"2020-06-12","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:49Z","subjects":["hypocalcemia","polyhalite","urine pH","DCAD"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:25369"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:25369","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/98846","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Ferreira, Gonzalo"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Daniels, Kristy M.","Schramm, Hollie H."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Dairy Science"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Richardson, Emily Sue"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2020-06-13T08:01:56Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2020-06-13T08:01:56Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2020-06-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Dairy Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["hypocalcemia","polyhalite","urine pH","DCAD"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:25369"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/98846"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Polyhalite is a natural mineral that could be fed as an acidogenic product to induce a metabolic acidosis and prevent clinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows after calving. The overall objective of this study was to determine if the use of polyhalite mineral in the diets of pre-partum non-lactating dairy cows was effective as an acidogenic product. We measured the urine pH, dry matter intake, milk yield, and calcium and magnesium concentration of urine and serum in pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows consuming diets containing a low dose of polyhalite (200 g/cow/day), a high dose of polyhalite (400 g/cow/day), calcium chloride (250 g/cow/day), or no acidogenic product. We hypothesized that including polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows will reduce urine pH and stimulate calcium metabolism mechanisms. We found that polyhalite effectively reduced urine pH and did not affect dry matter intake, and the stimulation of calcium metabolism was observed through an increase of calcium output in urine. In conclusion, feeding polyhalite mineral is an effective means for inducing metabolic acidosis without reducing dry matter intake. Based on these results, polyhalite should be fed at a dose of 400 g or more per cow per day to reduce urine pH."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Low blood calcium concentration, also known as hypocalcemia, is one of the common metabolic disorders that affect dairy cows transitioning from the pre-partum to post-partum period. Reducing the dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) in cows during the close-up period is known to effectively reduce the probability of cows developing hypocalcemia after calving. Polyhalite is a natural mineral that could be fed as an acidogenic product to induce a metabolic acidosis and prevent hypocalcemia in dairy cows after calving. The overall objective of this study was to determine if the use of polyhalite mineral in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows was effective as an acidogenic product. We evaluated the urine pH, dry matter intake, milk yield, and calcium and magnesium concentration of urine and serum in pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows consuming diets containing a low dose of polyhalite (200 g/cow/day) , a high dose of polyhalite (400 g/cow/day), calcium chloride (250 g/cow/day), or no acidogenic product. We hypothesized that including polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows will reduce urine pH and stimulate calcium metabolism mechanisms. We found that polyhalite effectively reduced urine pH and did not affect dry matter intake, and the stimulation of calcium metabolism was observed through an increase of calcium output in urine. In conclusion, feeding polyhalite mineral is an effective means for inducing metabolic acidosis without reducing dry matter intake. Based on these results, polyhalite should be fed at a dose of 400 g or more per cow per day to reduce urine pH."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Use of polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of close-up non-lactating dairy cows"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Ferreira, Gonzalo"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Daniels, Kristy M.","Schramm, Hollie H."],"dc:contributor.department":["Dairy Science"],"dc:creator":["Richardson, Emily Sue"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2020-06-13T08:01:56Z"],"dc:date.available":["2020-06-13T08:01:56Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2020-06-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["Polyhalite is a natural mineral that could be fed as an acidogenic product to induce a metabolic acidosis and prevent clinical hypocalcemia in dairy cows after calving. The overall objective of this study was to determine if the use of polyhalite mineral in the diets of pre-partum non-lactating dairy cows was effective as an acidogenic product. We measured the urine pH, dry matter intake, milk yield, and calcium and magnesium concentration of urine and serum in pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows consuming diets containing a low dose of polyhalite (200 g/cow/day), a high dose of polyhalite (400 g/cow/day), calcium chloride (250 g/cow/day), or no acidogenic product. We hypothesized that including polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows will reduce urine pH and stimulate calcium metabolism mechanisms. We found that polyhalite effectively reduced urine pH and did not affect dry matter intake, and the stimulation of calcium metabolism was observed through an increase of calcium output in urine. In conclusion, feeding polyhalite mineral is an effective means for inducing metabolic acidosis without reducing dry matter intake. Based on these results, polyhalite should be fed at a dose of 400 g or more per cow per day to reduce urine pH."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["Low blood calcium concentration, also known as hypocalcemia, is one of the common metabolic disorders that affect dairy cows transitioning from the pre-partum to post-partum period. Reducing the dietary cation anion difference (DCAD) in cows during the close-up period is known to effectively reduce the probability of cows developing hypocalcemia after calving. Polyhalite is a natural mineral that could be fed as an acidogenic product to induce a metabolic acidosis and prevent hypocalcemia in dairy cows after calving. The overall objective of this study was to determine if the use of polyhalite mineral in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows was effective as an acidogenic product. We evaluated the urine pH, dry matter intake, milk yield, and calcium and magnesium concentration of urine and serum in pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows consuming diets containing a low dose of polyhalite (200 g/cow/day) , a high dose of polyhalite (400 g/cow/day), calcium chloride (250 g/cow/day), or no acidogenic product. We hypothesized that including polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of pre-partum and non-lactating dairy cows will reduce urine pH and stimulate calcium metabolism mechanisms. We found that polyhalite effectively reduced urine pH and did not affect dry matter intake, and the stimulation of calcium metabolism was observed through an increase of calcium output in urine. In conclusion, feeding polyhalite mineral is an effective means for inducing metabolic acidosis without reducing dry matter intake. Based on these results, polyhalite should be fed at a dose of 400 g or more per cow per day to reduce urine pH."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:25369"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/98846"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["hypocalcemia","polyhalite","urine pH","DCAD"],"dc:title":["Use of polyhalite mineral as an acidogenic product in the diets of close-up non-lactating dairy cows"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Dairy Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:49Z"}