Six healthy crossbred yearling 250kg steers were infused intravenously, during four hours, with five liters of each of the six different isotonic solutions of sodium salts containing 150 mMol/l of the bicarbonate, acetate, propionate, L-lactate, D and L-lactate and chloride in a 6 x 6 latin square experimental design. Blood was collected from the jugular vein, anaerobically, for blood gas analysis, samples were obtained at different times throughout the infusion (zero, 1st, 4th and 8th h ). Urine was collect for determining the pH at the same schedule. Higher blood pH was found in cattle infused with all buffers than the chloride infused animals; higher level of blood bicarbonate and base excess were obtained at 4th and 8th h with bicarbonate and L-lactate, as well as with pCO2 at the 8th h. These results show that treatments with B and L lead to a slight accumulation of buffers in the blood, and generate a discrete metabolic alkalosis compensated organically by a small retention of CO2. Best alkalinizing effects are obtained by bicarbonate and L-lactato infusions. Bicarbonate infusions causes a high urinary pH.
cattle; buffer; treatment; metabolic acidosis; alkalinizing
