Knowing your cow’s DCAD number—and balancing for it before and after calving—can have a direct impact on incidence of metabolic disorders and early lactation performance. Dietary Cation Anion Difference, or DCAD, measures the levels of four macrominerals in the diet: two positively charged cations, potassium (K) and sodium (Na), and two negatively charged anions, chloride (Cl) and sulfur (S). By combining charges, the ration DCAD number is determined. Ready to learn more?