Implementing NIR grain quality testing for the feedlot industry: what are the options

A major objective of the "Premium Grains for Livestock Program" is to develop rapid tests, suitable for the site of grain collection and/or use, to measure the nutritional value of grains so that they can be priced in accordance with their suitability as an animal feed. The feedlot industry, as a major user of grain, is well aware of the relationship between the quality of a feedlot ration and animal performance. However, routine testing for grain quality has frequently been limited to constituents such as moisture, protein, oil and fibre, and can be too time-consuming to be of real value unless rapid testing procedures are available on-site or close at hand.