The feed bill is the largest operating cost in animal production. To decrease this cost, we must supply the balanced amount of feed to the animals according to type production. Overfeeding is wasteful. Underfeeding will decrease animal productivity and profitability. Therefore, proper animal nutrition are crucial to the profitability of the livestock enterprise.
Analyses of the composition of feed or forage are used to assess their nutritive value (Figure 1). A typical feed analysis includes measurements of some important quality items or parameters (e.g., crude protein, fiber, digestibility, etc.) used to define the nutritive value. Other items are analyzed under some special circumstances (i,e., acid detergent insoluble crude protein (ADICP) is usually only measured if heat damage to the feed is suspected).
Many of the parameters included in laboratory analysis are estimated from measured feed quality attributes. For example, digestible energy, total digestible nutrients and intake potential are all estimated from the concentration of the various fiber components and the relationship between them.
Our primary objective is to list the common terms used when discussing animal nutrition so that one might be better informed when consulting with nutritionists, feed salesmen, professional personnel, veterinarians, feed laboratory managers and other industry professionals.
These terms listing will be helpful when reading articles on animal feeding and nutrition, feed analysis reports or tags associated with feeds.