Molasses did not change (P > 0.15) ruminal pH, and no treatment × time interactions were observed (Table6).
Lactate concentration averaged 0.74 mM, but no effect of treatment or treatment × time interactions was detected, and our low concentrations would be unlikely to influence ruminal pH. Broderick and Radloff (2004) fed 2.4 to 10.0% total sugars in their diets using either
dried or liquid molasses, and DeFrain et al. (2004) fed either 5 or 13% lactose. Although neither report measured ruminal lactate, neither detected any effect on rumen pH
Compared with corn silage diets, feeding alfalfa hay increased total VFA concentration (P