Publication Date
1989
Description
Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is a nonconsumptive instrumental method for fast evaluation of the chemical composition, associated quality attributes, and physiological properties of forage plants. Norris et al. (1976) reported that NIRS (scanning monochromator instrument) could predict chemical composition, dry matter digestibility, dry matter intake, and digestible energy intake of grass and legume forages fed to sheep. Since then, voluminous evidence has been published that confirms the utility of NIRS for analysis and evaluation of forages and other feedstuffs for essentially any organic constituent or quality attribute that can be quantified with an adequate range of concentration in a calibration set of samples. The history of NIRS analysis of feeds and other agricultural products was reviewed by D.H. Clark in USDA-ARS Handbook No. 643 (Marten, Shenk, and Barton, 1989). Our objective was to determine the accuracy of NIRS for measurement of diverse forage plant composition and feeding quality in crop management, physiology, genetic and breeding research programs.
Citation
Marten, G C. and Windham, W R., "Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy as a Universal Forage Evaluation Technique" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 65.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session7/65
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy as a Universal Forage Evaluation Technique
Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) is a nonconsumptive instrumental method for fast evaluation of the chemical composition, associated quality attributes, and physiological properties of forage plants. Norris et al. (1976) reported that NIRS (scanning monochromator instrument) could predict chemical composition, dry matter digestibility, dry matter intake, and digestible energy intake of grass and legume forages fed to sheep. Since then, voluminous evidence has been published that confirms the utility of NIRS for analysis and evaluation of forages and other feedstuffs for essentially any organic constituent or quality attribute that can be quantified with an adequate range of concentration in a calibration set of samples. The history of NIRS analysis of feeds and other agricultural products was reviewed by D.H. Clark in USDA-ARS Handbook No. 643 (Marten, Shenk, and Barton, 1989). Our objective was to determine the accuracy of NIRS for measurement of diverse forage plant composition and feeding quality in crop management, physiology, genetic and breeding research programs.
