Determination of crude protein and metabolized energy with near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) in ruminant mixed feeds

Abstract

This study aims to determine the crude protein and metabolizable energy values in ruminant mixed feeds based on the measurements obtained from Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) device. The mixed feeds used in the study were produced in Balıkesir. Reference analyses were determined by making chemical analyses of mixed feed samples used in the study. Metabolic energy value of mixed feed samples was calculated by using the determined nutrient values in equations. Portable NIRS device was used in the study. The relationship between estimates obtained from NIRS device and reference values was statistically evaluated. In regression analysis, R2 value was found as 0.0064 for crude protein while it was 0.9397 for metabolizable energy. It has been demonstrated that the NIRS method is a fast, reliable and good estimation method for quantitatively determining the metabolic energy value in ruminant mixed feeds.