Negative DCAD:

Low K and high magnesium (Mg) are basic critical aspects of good close-up diets. When implementing a negative DCAD strategy on the farm, partially acidogenic diets have often been the norm, and they have shown to be a better approach than standard no-DCAD diets in the nutritional management of close-up cows. Indeed, partially acidogenic diets have often been the practical choice because the impact on intake caused by customary anionic salts and products has prevented achieving fully acidogenic targets (urine pH 5.5-6) consistently. The aim is a balanced, concentrated yet palatable supply of chloride and sulfate anions that allows not only an easy implementation of partially acidogenic diets, but also the effective implementation of fully acidogenic diets for best nutritional management of transition cows. This prepartum feeding strategy allows the cow to express her full genetic potential for milk yield, health, and reproductive performance.