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Forage Testing Using Near Infrared Reflectance Spectoscopy

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was evaluated for its accuracy in analyzing the nutritive value of tropical grass hays made by Florida livestock producers. From 1982 to 1987, a unique set of producer hays was obtained representing four tropical grass species and an unknown range of maturities, fertilization schemes, weather conditions and hay making and storage procedures. General NIRS equations representing the above sources of variation were developed for CP, in vitro OM digestion (IVOMD) and NDF. Results from general equations were compared to results from species-specific NIRS equations to determine whether broad-based calibrations could analyze quality traits of specific sample groups with accuracy similar to that of calibrations developed from specific groups. Standard errors of calibration and analysis ranged from .73 to .96% and .74 to .92%, respectively, for CP, 2.30 to 3.14% and 1.87 to 4.17% respectively, for IVOMD, and 1.45 to 1.71% and 1.45 to 2.18%, respectively, for NDF. Numbers of unacceptable analyses obtained from general NIRS calibrations were no greater than those obtained from species-specific calibrations. Other validation statistics from general NIRS calibrations were intermediate to those from species-specific calibrations, indicating that broad-based calibrations analyzed the nutritive value of individual species with a degree of accuracy similar to that of species-specific calibrations. Broad-based NIRS calibrations have application in extension forage testing programs in which identification and purity of producer hays may not be known.

Key Words: Infrared Spectroscopy • Forage • Quality Standards • Nutritive Value

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