The laboratory of Schothorst Feed Research supports the research processes. The laboratory occupies a staff of ten.The laboratory performs analyses in all products that are important for research projects performed at Schothorst Feed Research. Examples are animal feed ingredients, animal feeds and animal products (faeces, blood, ruminal fluid, meat and eggs). For several analyses the laboratory has been certified in accordance with the GMP+ standard: GMP B10 Laboratory research.
The analyses can be subdivided into the following categories:
Chemical analyses
These can be subdivided into:
- Wet chemical analyses
Examples are:
the Weende analyses (such as moisture, crude fat, crude fibre); these are generally the classical determination methods.
- Instrumental analyses
In the laboratory use is made of modern equipment. Some of the techniques used are gas chromatography, high-pressure liquid chromatography en spectrophotometry for fatty acid, amino acid, mineral and other analyses.
Physical analyses
Physical analyses are also important. A few examples are: the hardness of feed pellets, viscosity, particle size, egg quality (colour, shell strength) and the desiccation rate of faeces.
Microbiological research
For several projects microbiological research is performed, such as on the presence of Salmonella, C.perfringens, E.Coli en total germ number.
In-vitro analyses
These analyses are mainly performed to determine the availability and degradability of various nutrients in animal feeds. A few examples are: starch degradability, protein degradability and the gas production test.
In-vivo analyses
Examples of these are:
- Digestion trials in the laboratory livestock house (broilers and piglets).
- Digestion trials in the experimental livestock houses.
- Incubation of nylon bags in the rumen of the cow (in sacco method).
- Other research, taking blood and ruminal juice samples