Diet Formulation

NIR CNCPS 6.5+ / NASEM Complete

Includes all recommended inputs for CNCPS and NASEM formulation including:

Multiple time point uNDFom and NDFDs
- CNCPS forages: 12, 30, 120, 240
- CNCPS NFFS: 12, 72, 120
- NASEM Complete: 12, 24, 30, 48, 240

Starch digestibility
Ross undigested protein
VFAs
16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 18:3 fatty acids
Lysine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and iso-leucine

NIR Select

Includes all inputs and outputs of the University of Wisconsin's Milk energy systems including NDFD and milk per ton

NIR Basic

Includes all inputs for NRC01 energy calculations.

*Not all parameters are available for all feed types. For more information see NIR Packages By Sample Type

Fiber Digestibility

Fiber digestibility is a key driver of forage intake and milk production, but the methods for measurement vary widely. Dairyland's methods are directly compatible with CNCPS and NASEM formulation programs and were developed in conjunction with Dr. David Mertens, formerly of USDA-FRC in Madison, WI.

Much of the work that's been done to refine Dairyland's in vitro methods has been published, including:

Schlau, N., D. R. Mertens, K. Taysom, and D. Taysom. 2021. Technical note: Effects of filter bags on neutral detergent fiber recovery and fiber digestion in vitro. Journal of Dairy Science 104: 1846-1854.
Schlau, N., J. R. Knapp, K. Taysom, and D. Taysom. 2021. Testing additivity of starch and aNDFom fermentation in an in vitro gas production system. Presented at the American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (Virtual). Journal of Dairy Science 104: Suppl 1.
Schlau, N., D.R. Mertens, and D. Taysom. 2021. Effect of ruminal donor and carbohydrate type on in vitro fermentation. Presented at the American Dairy Science Association Annual Meeting (Virtual). Journal of Dairy Science 104: Suppl 1

For more information about chemistry package options, visit our Packages Catalog

Starch digestibility

Starch digestibility primarily varies due to:

Particle size
Extent of fermentation (ensiling)
Extent of gelatinization (steam flaking)
Protein matrix development (genetic and agronomic drivers)

While no testing methods exist that give reliable formulation inputs across all feed types, Dairyland provides a robust set of tools including:

NIR IVSD7 provides kd estimates that line up well with in vivo data on common starch sources but cannot account for variation due to particle size.
UW Grain 2.0 incorporates particle size, the extent of fermentation (HMSC, and snaplage), and prolamin (dry corn) into starch digestibility metrics including kd.
In vitro gas production can be used to create unlimited time points to characterize the rate and extent of starch digestion in low fiber feeds (corn grain, steam flaked corn, hmsc, etc).

Amino acids

3rd party quality assurance

The most important inputs for diet formulation (moisture, NDFom, NDFD, and starch digestibility) do not have third-party validation programs available, so it's important to choose a lab with a demonstrated record of performance and trust.

That said, Dairyland participates in third-party certification and quality control programs when they are available including:

NFTA (National Forage Testing Association) certifies CP, NDF, and ADF on five alfalfa hay, two corn silage, and one grass hay sample per year. All Dairyland locations are NFTA certified.
AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) offers voluntary proficiency-testing programs that allow labs to see how they compare to other labs analyzing the same samples. Dairyland utilizes AAFCO proficiency testing for all available methods.