CowdemyRumenFIG. 04Foundation12 min
Reading the feed report
Before interpreting a nutrient, verify the sample, basis, units, method, and whether the number was measured or calculated.
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Field notes on this focus
Also touches this focus
- Note 01A mold count is not a mycotoxin testViable molds and chemical toxins are different measurements, and patchy contamination challenges both.4 min · 2026-09-17
- Note 02A number without a unit is not a resultPercent, ppm, mg/kg, Mcal/lb, and Mcal/kg can turn the same digits into very different decisions.4 min · 2026-09-17
- Note 03Ash is not a mineral panelAsh measures total inorganic residue; it cannot tell whether calcium, potassium, or soil contamination caused the result.4 min · 2026-09-17
- Note 04Chemical fiber is not effective fiberGrinding can leave the NDF percentage intact while removing much of the particle structure that stimulates chewing.4 min · 2026-09-17
Sources
- Understanding and Using a Feed Analysis Report — University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
- Understanding your forage test results — Oregon State University Extension
- Forage Laboratory Analytical Procedures — Dairy One Forage Laboratory
- Forage Quality Testing: Why, How, and Where — Penn State Extension
Plate credit
Stomach figure adapted from the public-domain 1905 plate Interior of a cow (The Household Physician; Wikimedia Commons) and standard ruminant-stomach teaching figures. Educational only.
Not a veterinary diagnosis, prescription, or ration formula.