Laboratory facilities

The analytical facilities of the Animal Nutrition Group contains several laboratories with dedicated equipment which is run by a staff of skilled analytical personal. These main task of this facilities is to support the experimental research work within the field of animal nutrition. The available equipment is used the performance the traditional or proximate analysis (such as crude protein, fat and fibre) and instrumental analysis of specific compounds (such as individual amino acids or fatty acids). The laboratory process special equipment to measure stable isotopes ratio (i.e. 12C/13C or 14N/15N), which can be used as markers within physiological studies.

The laboratory facilities is also used for in vitro research work and the nutritional evaluation of technological treatment of feedstuffs. The in vitro investigation tries to mimic the animal digestibility and is used to evaluate and predict the effects on nutrition by laboratory measurements. These simulations are performed by incubation of feedstuffs with rumen fluid, enzymatic solution (for monogastric animals) or the measurement of gas production during anaerobic fermentation. To support the research in the field of technological treatment, the laboratory has the facilities to measure effects on the nutritional value by performing physical and chemical analyses. One topic in this field is the measurement of protein solubility and lysine damage which are performed within the laboratory.