Improving the ability to identify differences in feed formulations with nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

RALSTON, SARAH L.; HOIJEMBERG, PABLO ARIEL; PELCZER, ISTVÁN

Denver, CO

Simposio; 16th Annual AAVN Research Symposium Schedule; 2016

American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition

Wet chemical evaluation of organic materials in horse feeds has been employed historically for ration balancing, detection of contaminants or deviations in formulas. These analyses are most commonly limited to the detection of crude protein (CP), fat (EE), starch, water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and fiber (NDF, ADF). Analysis of other components is cumbersome and expensive. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy can supply a much larger quantity of data on the nutrient/chemical content of feed extracts. Multivariate data analysis (MVDA) is able to detect small fluctuations in components. Recently developed STOCSY analysis (Statistical TOtal Correlation SpectroscopY [Cloarec et al, 2005]) aids in the identification of the components. It was hypothesized that it would be possible to detect more detailed analysis of differences between two similar proprietary commercial feed samples by MVDA of NMR spectra of serial samples of extracts of the feeds.?Old? and ?New? proprietary pelleted feed samples were obtained from a farm that had just switched to the new formula. Samples were submitted for standard wet chemical analysis (Equi-Analytical, Ithaca, NY) and to the authors for NMR analyses. NMR spectra of extracts from ground samples were processed according to standard metabonomic procedures. The NMR data were evaluated with SIMCA, v 13.0, Umetrics, Umeå, Sweden. STOCSY analysis was used as aid in the identification of key compounds that differed between samples. The wet chemical analyses of ?Old? versus ?New? dry feed matter showed