Why We Use Dry Matter in Animal Nutrition

1. Why We Use Dry Matter in Animal Nutrition Dry matter is the amount of nutrient-dense residue that remains after water is removed. It can be from grain or fresh forages. A horse eating an eighty-pound-barrel-worth of feed daily will need about twenty pounds of dry matter per day. Using a Koster test, we can estimate how much feed an animal will need in order to meet its daily dry matter needs. Most producers use dry matter demand as a guideline when calculating dry matter requirements for their animals. However, it is important to remember that dry matter demands vary widely among animals. It is therefore important to use these estimates as guidelines only, and to evaluate the diets of individual animals. In addition, dry matter demand can be affected by environmental factors, and therefore, should be considered only as a general guideline. The dry matter content of a feed ingredient is important in determining the nutritional value. If there is a large amount of water, the dry matter content may be less than the nutrients found in the feed. In addition, the water content of a feed ingredient may

2. range from 10% to 50 percent. By removing water from the equation, a more accurate comparison can be made. The dry matter content of a feed is an indication of its nutritional value and health. The dry matter content of a leaf can vary significantly depending on leaf density. However, the leaf dry mass content is a good estimate of D, since leaf dry mass is easier to measure. In addition, if a leaf is small and irregular, it may be difficult to measure the dry mass. Generally, we report analytical results in dry matter or on sampled basis. This is important for consistency in comparisons and preventing a misinterpretation of the results. Otherwise, we risk making comparisons between feeds that contain wildly different amounts of dry matter. However, if the result is inconsistent, there could be problems with the formulation of a feed. When calculating a nutritional profile for a feed, it is helpful to consider the water content and concentration of nutrients. When dry matter is used, the concentration of nutrients will increase. In addition, the weight of the feed will be lighter than it is in the original form. A simple formula for calculating the amount of dry matter in a particular formula is easy to use: multiply the percentage of dry matter in the feed by the amount of water. Contact Us Call Us: +64 9 372 9155 Mail Us: marketing@rd2.co.nz Website: https://rd2.co.nz/