
Calculate the Electrolyte Balance
Check the ration of your cattle to keep optimal performance while ensuring their wellbeing.
Why is Electrolyte Balance in the diet important?
Electrolytes play a key role in the well-being of your animals.
As for us humans, your animals use minerals (such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium) to regulate the physico-chemical parameters of their organism, in particular the acid-base balance. These minerals come from what they eat and drink.
They are vital elements because they facilitate the circulation of nutrients in the cells and the elimination of waste. They also make the nerves, muscles, heart and brain of the animal function normally and balance the amount of water and pH level in their body.
Balance between positively and negatively charged ions is essential
If there is an imbalance between positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), animals can face several problems such as production drops, acidosis, dehydration, diarrhoea, etc....
Calculate the Electrolyte Balance for Swine and Poultry
The feed requirements of your pigs and poultry vary according to their stage of physiological development. By calculating the Electrolyte Balance of the ration (sodium, potassium and chloride), it is possible to see whether the ration is in line with the ideal values. A ration whose Electrolyte Balance is too low (risk of acidosis) can be effectively corrected by adding Bicar®Z. To calculate the Electrolytic Balance of your ration, there is only one formula:
BE = [Na+ + K+] - [Cl-]
Which Electrolyte Balance value is ideal for your pigs?
Stage of development |
Ideal EB value |
Pregnant sow |
between 240 and 270 mEq/kg DM |
Sow in preparation for farrowing |
between 160 and 190 mEq/kg DM |
Suckling sow |
between 180 and 220 mEq/kg DM |
Piglets after weaning |
between 250 and 300 mEq/kg DM |
Pors pork butchers |
between 200 and 250 mEq/kg DM |
Growing gilts |
between 200 and 250 mEq/kg DM |
Which Electrolyte Balance value is ideal for your poultry?
Species and stage of development |
Ideal EB value (mEq/kg DM) |
Chickens between 1 and 21 days old |
between 240 and 300 |
Chickens between 21 and 42 days of age |
between 240 and 260 |
Laying hens |
between 240 and 280 |
Laying hens in heat stress situations |
between 280 and 320 |
Turkeys |
between 250 and 280 |