Relationship between analysed and theoretical content of crude protein in standardized formulated feed mixtures for ruminants

Choose your feed compounder with care! h eight years, the analysed (Kjeldahl) content of crude protein in three standardised formulated feed mixtures for ruminants (“CowA” and “CowB” with 15% protein and “CowC” with 38% protein) from eleven factories has been compared to the nominal guaranteed level. Samples with analysed protein values outside the statutory range have been counted as faulty. 6.3% of the samples from “CowA” were then faulty. For “CowB” and “CowC” the figures were 5.2% and 21.0%. rrelation between the percentage of faults and the nominal protein level in the mixtures were high and significant (P < 0.01). In spite of great innovations and investments at the factories, there was no decreasing tendency for the percentage of faults during the period, for either of the mixtures. paring the factor Mfac (which is found by dividing the percentage of faults in a mixture by the percentage of samples from that mixture), with the relative distance between the factories, there is shown to be significant (P < 0.01) differences between regions. i.e. in some regions the mixtures were almost without faults; in other regions, the faults were more frequent. It is suggested that these differences were due to the internal organisation and attitude of each factory.