ISO 23210 Ash Residue Profiling in Dairy Feed
The analysis of ash residue is a critical component of dairy feed quality assessment. Ash content provides insights into the mineral composition, which can impact animal health and performance. ISO 23210:2019 outlines standardized procedures for determining the ash content of feeds to ensure consistency in nutrient profiling.
Dairy animals are primarily fed on a variety of ingredients including cereal grains, protein supplements, fats, and minerals. Ensuring that feed compositions meet specific nutritional requirements is essential for promoting animal health, optimizing production efficiency, and ensuring compliance with international standards such as ISO 23210:2019.
The process involves the precise determination of ash content by incinerating a sample at high temperatures until only inorganic components remain. This method provides reliable data on trace minerals that are crucial for dairy animal nutrition and can help in identifying potential deficiencies or excesses in feed formulations.
Our laboratory adheres to ISO 23210:2019 guidelines, which specify the techniques for accurate ash measurement. The procedure is designed to minimize errors in sample preparation and ensure reproducibility of results. We use state-of-the-art equipment and methodologies tailored to meet your specific needs.
The importance of this analysis cannot be overstated given its role in optimizing dairy animal health and performance. By ensuring that feed contains the necessary minerals, we can help support robust immune systems, bone density, and overall well-being of dairy cattle. This not only improves milk production but also reduces the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies leading to costly veterinary interventions.
Our laboratory has extensive experience in conducting these analyses for clients across various sectors including agriculture, nutrition research, and food safety. We understand that accurate ash residue profiling is essential for maintaining high standards of animal care and welfare.
Why It Matters
The quality of dairy feed directly influences the health and productivity of dairy animals, which in turn affects milk production. Accurate ash residue profiling ensures that feeds contain appropriate levels of essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
Calcium plays a vital role in bone development and lactation, while phosphorus supports energy metabolism and bone formation. Ensuring adequate mineral content is critical for preventing diseases such as rickets or osteomalacia in calves and adult cows respectively.
Excessive ash levels could indicate overuse of certain ingredients which might lead to imbalanced nutrition affecting animal performance negatively. Conversely, insufficient ash may suggest a lack of important minerals necessary for optimal health.
By adhering strictly to ISO 23210:2019 standards during our analyses, we provide you with reliable and consistent results that can help maintain the highest standards in dairy farming practices. This helps producers make informed decisions about their feed formulas thereby enhancing profitability through improved animal performance and reduced veterinary costs.
Applied Standards
The analysis of ash residue follows ISO 23210:2019, which specifies the procedures for determining total ash content in feeds. This international standard ensures that all laboratories perform consistent tests across different regions and countries.
When conducting an ash test according to this specification, samples are heated in a muffle furnace at temperatures exceeding 550°C until only non-combustible residues remain. The resulting mass represents the total amount of minerals present in the sample.
The ISO standard also provides detailed instructions on how to prepare samples correctly before analysis, including drying and weighing procedures. These steps are crucial because improper handling can lead to inaccurate results that do not reflect true feed composition.
Our team is committed to maintaining strict adherence to these standards throughout every step of the process from sample collection right through to final report generation ensuring accuracy and reliability in our findings.
Scope and Methodology
| Sample Collection | Collect representative samples from the feed batch ensuring it is free from extraneous materials. |
|---|---|
| Drying | Place collected samples in an oven at 103°C ±2°C for approximately four hours or until constant weight is achieved (usually around two to three days). |
| Weighing | Precisely weigh the dried sample on a sensitive analytical balance accurate up to 0.1 mg. |
| Incineration | Transfer weighed samples into porcelain crucibles and place them in a muffle furnace preheated to 550°C ±25°C for at least four hours or until the sample turns white indicating complete combustion. |
| Weighing Ash Residue | Cool cooled crucibles containing the ash residue in a desiccator and re-weigh. Calculate percentage of ash as follows: |
This method ensures that all samples are treated uniformly, leading to consistent results across multiple analyses. It is important to note that proper sample preparation and handling play significant roles in obtaining accurate readings.
