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Research Project: DEVELOPING RAPID METHODS OF MONITORING FEEDS & ANIMALS FOR PRECISION FEEDING, IMPROVING ANIMAL HEALTH, PRODUCTIVITY, & ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Location: Dairy Forage and Aquaculture Research

Project Number: 3655-31000-021-02
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Aug 01, 2005
End Date: Jul 31, 2010

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are to identify and develop rapid methods of monitoring feeds and animals that: 1) Detect daily changes in moisture and composition of undried, unground feeds during the feeding process so that adjustments in ration formulation are made to more precisely match animal requirements. 2) Routinely monitor ruminal and animal physiological states to rapidly detect feeding system problems that adversely affect the animal, and 3) Measure the biological, physical, and chemical characteristics of feeds and mixed rations that affect animal health and productivity and the nutritional properties of the milk produced.

Approach:
Variation in feed composition and its impact will be measured to determine the feed attributes that have most significant impact on diet properties and animal performance. Meeting the proposed objectives will require both traditional and new technological approaches and expertise from both partners to: 1) Evaluate alternative methods of measuring moisture (or its inverse, DM) using drying or spectroscopy for accuracy, speed, and cost-effectiveness. 2) Develop new instrumentation that can be mounted and operated on feeding equipment to detect composition during the feeding process. 3) Develop and evaluate instruments that can routinely monitor ruminal and animal physiological states of test animals within groups and relate these data to in vivo and in vitro response of animals and to the biological, chemical, and physical attributes of forages and feeds that affect animal health and productivity. 4) Investigate the relationships between spectral properties of feeds and their biological, physical, and chemical characteristics to enhance current application of near and mid infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS & MIRS), evaluate the ability of spectral properties to measure changes in feed and ruminal contents (such as volatile fatty acids and other soluble organic matter) during fermentation in vitro, and quantify the relationships between spectral properties, in vitro digestibility, and in vivo intake and digestion.

   

 
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Related National Programs
  Food Animal Production (101)
 
 
Last Modified: 01/10/2012
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