Influence of the Physical Properties of Samples in the Use of NIRS to Predict the Chemical Composition and Gas Production Kinetic Parameters of Corn and Grass Silages

Abstract

Livestock production is the main economic engine of the Azores. Given the role nutrition plays in animal performance and the context of limited Averages sharing the same letter are noagricultural area of the archipelago, optimising the quality and availability of the fodder used in feeds takes on an important role in increasing the competitiveness and viability of the industry. This work evaluated the potential of NIR spectroscopy to quantify several chemical and biological parameters used to assess silage quality in the specific agroclimatic context of the Azores. Reference values were determined for 400 grass silage and 400 corn silage samples. The corresponding NIR spectra were extracted, and mathematical models capable of correlating these readings with the various parameters were built. The best results were obtained for crude protein, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, and crude ash for both fresh and dry samples. For the biological parameters concerning gas production, no satisfactory results were reached. It was concluded that it was feasible to build models capable of accurately predicting these important quality parameters, which demonstrates that NIRS is a viable technique that can be used in the Azores to perform a close and timely monitoring of forage quality and to facilitate the management and optimisation of diets.

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Integration in the Regular Monitorization of Pasture Nutritional Properties and Gas Production

“…Whether used directly or in the form of silage, the predominant source of dairy cow feed worldwide is pastures [1,22,23].…”

“…Given how feed directly influences the productive and reproductive performance of animals, optimizing the design of diets and pasture management can lead to relevant commercial gains. A timely understanding and monitoring of pastures can help with this effort [23].…”

“…However, a great qualitative leap forward would only come in the 1960s, when Peter van Soest proposed a revolutionary approach based on a system of detergent solutions for food analysis, and Tilley and Terry suggested in vitro methods for the determination of feed digestibility. At the end of the second half of the 20th century, NIR spectroscopy came to offer a complement to chemical analysis in the laboratory, allowing us to obtain several potentially complex indicators in a fast and non-destructive way [23].…”

“…Agriculture has benefited from NIR spectroscopy as an efficient tool for determining a large number of parameters and criteria, with unquestionable advantages as a universal technique that is fast, non-destructive, uses no chemical reagents, is easy to use, given the flexibility in the way the sample is placed in the apparatus [36], and that allows both qualitative (for identification) and quantitative (for dosage) assessments [37]. The technique is currently considered essential in several seemingly disparate fields, ranging from medical applications to food analysis, among many others [23]. Furthermore, the available instruments even enable the application of this technique outside the constraints of the laboratory, making it possible to obtain immediate information on-site, which enables more timely and informed decision making [38].…”

Estimating nutrient composition and polyphenol concentration using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) in tropical forages

“…Near-Infrared Reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy is a rapid method for estimating plant chemical compounds with several benefits, including non-destructiveness, environmental friendliness, economic efficiency, rapid results, and effortless methods. Previous studies have used NIRS to estimate the chemical composition and digestibility of silage (Dias et al 2023;Zicarelli et al 2023), forage chemical composition and nutritive values, and chemical composition of feces (Andueza et al 2017). Another study also used this method for estimating the chemical composition of other feed sources and predicting their potential nutrient digestibility in ruminants and other livestock animals (Nieto-Ortega et al 2022;Pepeta et al 2022).…”