135 Effect Of Dietary Potassium Level And Source On Physiological Status of Heat Stressed Lactating Diary Cows M.A. Alshaikh , M.S. Salah, M. Y, Al-Saiady, T. A. Alshoweimi, H. H. Mogawer and A. Tageldin Department of Animal production, College of agriculture, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, King Saud University. Saudi Arabia. E mail: Alshaikh@kswedu,sa Abstract. Forty eight healthy lactating Holstein cows, past the peak were used to study the effect of increasing dietary K level and sources on physiological status of heat stressed lactating dairy cow. ‘Animals were housed in an open shaded barn, and were assigned equally and randomly to one of ight dietary treatments containing two levels of potassium (1.25 vs. 175) and four different sources. Results showed that levels of K in the diet have no significant effect on any of cellular or non-cellular components of blood, while cholesterol decreased with increasing K level. Plasma content of Na, K, Mg and P were not affected by dietary K level, whereas plasma Ca level increased by increasing dietary K level, (0.35+0.01, 0.38+0.01 for 1.25 and 1.75 K level respectively). Source of K supplementation did not affect the concentration of Na, K and Mg in blood, but Cl and Ca and P levels were affected (p<0.06). Plasma electrolyte balance was higher in cows fed the 1.25% K diets compared to the 1.75% K diets. Level of K in the diet showed no significant effect on the concentration of cortisol, T4 and T4/T3 ratio. Concentration of T3 was reduced (P<0.05) with increasing dietary K level, Key Word: potassium, lactation, cows, heat stress, blood. Introduction 1988). Milk is a major source of potassium (K) elimination from the The negative effects of heat stress body and since the K content of most upon performance of dairy cows are associated with changes in mineral metabolism (Beede and Collier, 1986; Schneider et al., 1986, 1988; West et al, 1992). Effects of — macromineral elements are not independent, and their interactions with _ other environmental factors may affect the hyperthermic cow directly from the normothermic cow (Schneider et al., grains is relatively low, feeding high concentrate diets could lead’ to a possible deficiency problem and milk yield may decrease (Pradhan & Hemken, 1968). Furthermore, heat- stressed cow's losses. more K in sweat than cows that are not heat stressed, therefore, potential k deficiency may be implicated in lower milk production Saudi. J. Biol. Sci., Vol. 8, No. 2, (2001)