Radiant energy – Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling – Infrared responsive
Patent
1998-06-09
2000-12-26
Hannaher, Constantine
Radiant energy
Invisible radiant energy responsive electric signalling
Infrared responsive
25033911, G01N 2135
Patent
active
061663824
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a method for quantifying biomechanical properties of animal feed based on a correlation between the chemical and biomechanical properties of the feed, and to methods for objectively measuring the quality of animal feed, such as fodders including hay, pastures and forages.
Diet is the major determinant of productivity of an animal. In the livestock industry, animals are farmed for meat, wool and other valuable products. The diet of farmed livestock is largely dictated by man and, given the effect of diet on animal production it is highly desirable to optimize the diet of livestock to gain maximum benefit from the natural resource.
Feed quality is one variable that has a major impact on animal productivity. In this respect, feed quality affects the amount of feed an animal will consume and the feeding value it gains from the feed consumed. In the case of cattle, sheep and other ruminants, feed quality depends on digestibility, chemical attributes (nutrient composition) and biomechanical attributes (namely how easy it is for an animal to chew the feed during ingestion and rumination).
It is generally accepted that there are constraints on the intake of feed by ruminant animals, that the amount of useful energy obtained by a ruminant animal may fail short of the amount that the animal can potentially use, and that this would result in reduced productivity. For example, the principal constraints to voluntary intake of fodders are resistance of fodder fibre to chewing and digestibility (provided that the intake is not otherwise constrained by low palatability, deleterious secondary compounds, or the inadequacy of essential nutrients). Differences between feeds, such as fodders, in their resistance to chewing are reflected in differences in biomechanical properties, including comminution energy, shear energy, compression energy, tensile strength, shear strength and intrinsic shear strength.
Hay is a common feed and its quality is significantly affected by factors such as seasonal differences, haymaking practices and pasture composition. It has been shown in one recent survey that in some years as little as 11% of hay produced was good enough to promote liveweight gain in weaner sheep. This possibility of wide variation in measures of hay quality is a matter of increasing concern, and has given rise to a demand for a method of objective quality assessment.
A hay quality system adopted in the United States of America uses a measure known as relative feed value (RFV) to distinguish between hays of different quality. The RFV is calculated from the dry matter digestibility, which is predicted from acid detergent fibre (ADF) content, and from the dry matter intake, which is predicted from neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content.
The RFV based system suffers from a number of disadvantages. For example, the ADF and NDF contents of fodders are determined by chemical methods which take several days to complete, and thus are expensive in terms of resources.
While objective quality assessment and product specification has become an integral part of the production and marketing in domestic and export markets for the Australian grain, wool, meat and dairy industries, performance-based quality standards are not presently in place for feeds such as hays and other fodders. Consequently; likely to become increasingly important in respect of export markets if other exporting countries are able to guarantee standards for their product; superior product; supplementary feeding regimes to achieve animal production targets; and
Whilst the relationship between biomechanical properties of feed and feed quality is now accepted, there is a need for a convenient, inexpensive and relatively accurate assay method for feed to determine its quality. An accurate determination of feed quality allows for optimisation of feeding regimes and improved animal production for obvious economic gains.
It is an object of this invention to overcome or at least partially alleviate the aforementioned problems and/or reduce the uncertain
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Baker Suzanne Kay
Dynes Robyn Ann
Henry David Andrew
Purser Douglas Barrie
Wallington Brett Steven
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
Gabor Otilia
Hannaher Constantine
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