Feed Testing

Potassium is a mineral that is found in many foods, and it is also necessary for horses. It plays a big role in balancing osmotic pressure, which is essential for cell function. It is also a key component of electrolyte balance, which helps regulate nerve and muscle activity. Neuromuscular excitability,…

For lactating dairy cattle, potassium is an imperative nutrient that optimizes milk production. The Nutrient Requirements for Dairy Cattle from the National Research Council indicates that extreme potassium deficiency in lactating cows (defined as 0.06% to 0.15% potassium in the diet on a dry matter basis) results in a decrease…

Why Is Visual Grade Important?Visual Grade has a very strong correlation to the attractiveness of the hay (for the livestock), that is livestock are much more likely to eat and be attracted to really nice-looking hay. In addition, there is a direct correlation between visual grade and aroma.  Likewise, a…

How Much Sample Do You Need To Submit? Hay – 200 – 300gSilage/Fresh Sample – 500g – 1kgGrain – 1kgTMR – 1kg How To Take A Sample When feed testing it is important for the collected sample to be representative of the whole product. If the quality of your product…

What is the nutritional value of your hay bales? This isn’t something you can just guess by eyeballing it. Rather, farmers rely on a qualified system of measurement (feed test) after utilising a hay corer to take a good, representative sample. What is a hay corer? A hay corer is…

What is the nutrient value of your hay bales? This isn’t something you can just guess by eyeballing it. Rather, farmers will rely on a qualified system of measurement by using a hay testing probe. What is a hay probe? A hay probe is a metal rod that is used…

This article is not intended to be a comprehensive explanation of interpreting your feed test results but aims to provide a ‘snapshot’ of key parameters you should be looking at when understanding the quality of your Hay. Why Feed Test? The quality of the diet is predictive of animal performance.…

An accurate feed test begins with an accurate sample submitted to the lab for testing. If the quality of your product varies, you may need to have multiple samples tested to better define the quality of your product. How To Test Hay Required sample weights: >300g The best method to…

DCAD stands for Dietary Cation-Anion Difference. DCAD is a particularly important measure that is used when formulating diets for dry, transition and lactating dairy cows. DCAD is the interrelationship of positively charged minerals (cations) and negatively charged minerals (anions) on animal performance. Dietary cations include: Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium.…

If you thought your pasture was mineral deficient and could be limiting your animal’s production and you could correct it, would you? Here are the reasons why you should feed test your pasture. WITH BRONTE LLOYD FROM NUTRIEN AG SOLUTIONS. Importance Of Feed Testing For Livestock Production Bronte Lloyd (BAgr)…

What Are Fatty Acid Results? Total Fatty Acids (TFA) give a more defined and accurate measurement of fat content in feed and indicate the energy content of a feed source. Why Are Fatty Acids Important? Fatty acids (FA) play an important role in maintaining physiological processes in animals and have…