Submitted to Submitted By

Dr. Sabbir Hossen Sabuz Zakaria Hossain

Assistant Professor ID: 1704080
Department of Animal Science & MS in Animal Nutrition
Nutrition (ASN)
Session: July-Dec 2023

HAJEE MOHAMMAD DANESH SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY DINAJPUR-5200

  The chemical evaluation of animal feed is a
critical process in ensuring the health, growth, and
productivity of livestock.
 This involves analyzing the nutrient content,
detecting contaminants, and assessing the quality
.
of feed additives. Accurate chemical analysis helps
in formulating balanced diets, maintaining feed
safety, and achieving economic efficiency in
animal production.
 Various chemical treatments are explained as:
1. Acid treatment:
 Changes the chemical composition to a certain
extent without any alteration in the nutrient
. utilization
 Various organic and inorganic acids may be
used
 Cost effective process and have low practical
utility.
 2. Alkali treatment:
 Sodium hydroxide treatment:
I. Wet Treatment: The roughages are chopped and
treated with 1.5 percent (W/V) NaOH solution for at
least 4 hours. The treated straw was drained and washed
with a large quantity of water to remove all the NaOH
solution.
II. Dry treatment: In this treatment chaffed dry fodder is
.
first spread on clean hard floor or thick plastic sheet.
Solution of NaOH (3-4%) is sprinkled and mixed with
fodder. 4 to 6 kg of NaOH dissolved in 200 litres of
water is adequate to wet 100 kg fodder. This makes the
fodder moist and has pleasant odour and improved
nutritive value.
  Treatment with lime: Use calcium oxide and calcium
hydroxide and require higher amount for longer duration
straw treatment.
 NH3 Treatment:
• Used to improve the nutritive value of straw ( as a source of
nitrogen for rumen microbes)
• In this treatment stacks of straw were wrapped with
.
polyethylene cover and injected with 3% ammonia. Aqueous
ammonia (20-35 %) is also used for straw treatment.
 Urea ammoniation Treatment:
• It is the most convenient method of chemical treatment to
straw.
• In this method weighted chaffed straw is spread on the
polythene sheet in a layer of 45-50 cm 3 kg urea is dissolved in
40 litres of water for 100 kg straw. The urea solution is sprayed
over the straw, mixed uniformly and then stacked air tight and
left for 3 weeks. After that stack is opened and straw is ready
for animal feeding after overnight aeration of straw.

. Conditions for urea treatment: For the better results, some

conditions are to be maintained so that urea hydrolysis should
be complete which are as:
Moisture level: 35-40 litres of water for 100 kg roughages is
sufficient for ureolysis.
Temperature: The optimum temperature for urease activity
in soil is 30 degree celcius. Ammoniation is increased at higher
temperature.
 Precautions for chemical treatments:
(i) Mixing of the chemicals should be thorough and uniform.
(ii) Chemicals should be handled carefully as these are
corrosive in nature.
(iii) Ammonia is an explosive in nature so fire should not be
ignited near the stock or during the injection of ammonia
gas.
. (iv) Ammoniated fodders should be properly aerated before
feeding to the animals.
Chemical Analysis involves calculating the amount of moisture,
dry matter, Nitrogen-free-extract (NFE), Crude protein, fat,
cellulose and ash.
A. Proximate analysis: This analytical technique is designed
to differentiate between nutritive and non-nutritive com
ponents and analyze moisture/dry matter content, crude
.
protein, crude fat or etherextract, crude fiber, and ash,
Nitrogen -free extract (NFE).
 Feed Sample
Oven-dry at 105℃
Moisture

Moisture free sample

Incineration
. at 550℃
Digestion Ether Extraction
Distilation
Titration Ash
Crude Protein Fat-Free Residue Crude Fat
Boil in weak acid
Boil in weak alkali
Oven dry at 105℃
Incineration at 550℃

Crude Fiber
1. Moisture/dry matter content: Moisture content
determination involves drying the feed sample to constant
weight using a drying oven or a moisture balance. It is
important to interconvert feed analysis data from dry-matter
basis to as-received basis for a more accurate feeding
management using the following formulae:
% nutrient (as received) = % nutrient (dry basis) x (% dry
. matter)/100
% nutrient (dry basis) = % nutrient (as received) x 100
% dry matter

Initial weight − Dry weight​

Moisture (%) = ×100
Initial weight
2. Crude Protein: Crude protein determination is done using
the Kjeldahl method.
Method:
Kjeldahl Method: Measures total nitrogen content, then
converts to crude protein using a factor (typically 6.25).

Calculation:
.
Crude Protein (%)=Total nitrogen×6.25

The Kjeldahl distillationtitration

(Kjeltec™) apparatus
3. Crude fat or ether extract: The crude fat content of feedstuffs and feeds
is determined by extraction of ground samples with ether. Ether-soluble
materials include a variety of organic compounds but only a few have
nutritional significance such as the true fats, fatty acid esters, compound
lipids, and fat soluble vitamins or pro-vitamins such as the carotenoids. This
method does not remove all lipids, especially the phospholipids and other
fats bound to proteins.
Method:
Soxhlet Extraction: Uses a solvent (e.g., ether) to extract fats from the feed
. sample.
Calculation:
Weight of extracted fat​
​ × 100​
Crude Fat (%)= Sample of weight​

The Soxtec™ apparatus used for

crude fat analysis.
4. Ash or mineral matter: Ash or the total mineral content is
measured by burning the feed sample in a muffle furnace at
550-600°C. This burns all organic matter, leaving a residue of
ash or inorganic mineral salts. Excessively high ash values may
indicate contamination, or dilution of feedstuffs with such
substances as limestone and salt.
Calculation:
.

Weight of ash​
Ash (%)= ​ × 100​
Sample of weight​

A muffle furnace used to analyze

the ash content of feedstuffs
5. Crude fiber:
 In crude fiber determination the etherextracted sample is
boiled in dilute acid, then in dilute base, dried, and burned in a
furnace.
Method:
Weende Method: Involves sequential treatment with acid and
alkali to isolate fiber.
Calculation:
. Weight of fiber residue​
Crude Fiber (%)= Sample weight​ × 100 ​
6. Nitrogen-free extract (NFE): NFE is derived by subtracting
the sum of the other proximate components, crude protein,
crude fat, ash, crude fiber on a dry weight basis from 100. It
represents mainly starch, sugars, and other readily soluble
carbohydrates. It may also include hemicelluloses and some of
the more soluble lignin.

Calculation:
.
NFE (%)=100−(Moisture %+Crude Protein %+Crude Fat %+Crude Fiber %+Ash %)
 Vitamins and Minerals
Methods of Analysis:
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC): Commonly used
for vitamins.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS): Used for mineral analysis.

Contaminants Analysis
Mycotoxins
.
Sources: Produced by fungi, commonly found in improperly stored grains.
Methods of Detection:
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA): Quick and specific.
Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS): Highly
sensitive and accurate.
 Heavy Metals
Sources: Contaminated water or soil, industrial pollution.
Methods of Detection:
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS): Very
sensitive and precise.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS): Widely used and effective.

. Pesticides
Sources: Residues from agricultural practices.
Methods of Detection:
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS): Standard method
for pesticide analysis.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC): Useful for a
broad range of pesticides.
The chemical evaluation of Animal feed is a comprehensive
process that ensures the feed meets the nutritional needs of
animal while being free from harmful contaminants and
maintaining the efficacy of beneficial additives. The chemical
evaluation of animal feed is essential for ensuring the
nutritional adequacy, safety, and quality of feed provided to
.
livestock. Regular and precise chemical analysis is crucial for
maintaining animal health, optimizing growth, and ensuring
the safety of animal products for human consumption.