Feed Analysis Flashcards
Why should the nutritional value of feed be known?
Then the feed can be given to the correct horses, suitable to their workload and natural energy levels. Balanced diet is essential - must include proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
What is the process of energy partitioning?
Shows where different types of energy are digested and absorbed (draw out diagram).
Involves gross energy, digestible energy, metabolizable energy and net energy (maintenance energy/productive energy).
What is proximate analysis?
The industry standard for feed analysis. It is designed to mimic digestion
What is measured using proximate analysis?
Moisture, crude protein, crude fibre, crude lipids, ash, nitrogen free extracts (carbohydrates).
What is crude protein?
Crude protein is the amount of protein that is found in a feed, found out by testing the feed in a lab.
What is crude fibre?
Crude fibre is a measure of the quantity of indigestible cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, and other components of this type in present foods.
How can fibre content be measured?
Neutral Detergent Fibre - boil fibre bags in this for a few hours to lose pectins. This value should be high
Acid Detergent Fibre - gives a prediction of digestibility. High ADF = low digestibility and vice versa
What is ash?
The amount of inorganic matter (total minerals)
What is the formula for total digestible nutrients?
%TDN = (%dig x %CF) + (%dig x %NFE) + (%dig x %CP) + (2.25 x %dig x %EE)
What are other methods of feed analysis?
- near infrared reflectance spectroscopy
- feed trials
What is the first step when conducting proximate analysis?
The feed must be dried out - at 60 degrees for 24 hours.
DM (g/kg) = (weight of dried sample/weight of fresh sample) x 100
What is ether extract?
It is a measure of the oil content of the feed.
What is nitrogen free extracts?
- the final stage of proximate analysis
NFE = freshweight - (moisture +ash+CP+CF+EE)
It is an estimate of the non-structural carbohydrates
