Abstract

This study aimed to estimate by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy the microbial nitrogen content (MN) of feed residues from in sacco degradability trails and duodenal digesta of sheep. NIR spectra from 50 samples of duodenal digesta, and from in sacco residues—110 samples of alfalfa hay and 38 samples of maize silage were obtained using an NIRSystems 4250 spectrophotometer. The microbial nitrogen (MN) content of part of the alfalfa hay in sacco residues (78 samples) was calculated from the percentage of ¹⁵N enrichment compared to enrichment in the original samples; for the rest of the alfalfa samples and samples of maize silage residues were determined by diaminopimelic acid (DAPA) as a bacterial marker, and MN of duodenal digesta samples by the purine N (RNA equivalent) content as a microbial marker. The calibration equations were developed by modified least squares as the calibration method. The microbial content of all kinds of samples was accurately calibrated and cross-validated. A standard error of cross validation (SECV) of 0.418 g microbial N kg⁻¹ DM, a coefficient of determination for the cross validation of 0.925 and a ratio of standard deviation of population and the SECV of 3.88 were obtained for the alfalfa ¹⁵N labelled hay residues. For maize silage residues, the corresponding values were 0.832, 0.938 and 3.90, and for duodenal digesta samples the values were 1.05, 0.962 and 5.19, respectively. Prediction of MN as percentage of total N of the samples gave approximately the same level of accuracy. For example, the SECV was 2.35% units, cross-validation R² was 0.953, SD/SECV was 4.60 for alfalfa ¹⁵N labelled hay residues. Despite the different origin of the analysed samples (feed residues and duodenal digesta), the NIR spectroscopy determination of MN content of all samples was based on spectral data at very similar wavelengths. The study indicated that NIR spectroscopy has the potential to predict microbial nitrogen content and to distinguish MN from total N content of in sacco feed residues and duodenal digesta.

© 1998 NIR Publications

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