Anomalies in Analyzed Nutrients, Guests: Dr. Glen Broderick, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Mary Beth Hall, The Cows Are Always Right LLC

This episode features Dr. Glen Broderick and Dr. May Beth Hall, speakers at the 2025 ADSA Ruminant Nutrition Symposium: Anomalies in Analyzed Nutrient Composition of Feedstuffs. Dr. Broderick’s presentation was titled “Protein analysis methodology.” The high points of his talk include recommendations for nitrogen analysis in feeds, potential improvements in determining protein degradability and undegradability in the rumen, and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) analysis of amino acid composition of feedstuffs. (7:57) Dr. Hall’s presentation was titled “Success and continuing challenges in analyzing nonfiber carbohydrates.” She gives some history of the analysis of non-fiber carbohydrates and talks about starch assays and how water-soluble carbohydrates are not solely composed of sugars. She also explains how microbes make decisions on which substrates to ferment and which to store for later. (12:47) The panelists talk about challenges in obtaining real-time nutrient analyses in order to make ration changes. They recommend using rolling averages rather than a single sample and using milk urea nitrogen as a way to evaluate if something is not quite right with a ration. (21:17) Dr. Broderick notes he recommends that scientists no longer use the Kjeldahl method of nitrogen analysis, that we look for new or alternative methodology other than in situ digestibility to determine protein degradability, and that NIR analysis of amino acids be used to make ration decisions when calibrated for the feedstuff under consideration. (27:10) Dr. Hall recommends using the appropriate carbohydrate standard when measuring water-soluble carbohydrates: sucrose for fresh forages, fructose for cool-season grasses with high fructan content, etc. She also notes that some feeds, like bakery waste or amylase-modified grain, contain soluble starch, which shows up in both the starch category and the water-soluble category in a feed analysis, essentially double-dipping. Lastly, she suggests that nonfiber carbohydrates remain a bit of a nutritional black box and we continue to learn more with improved technology. (29:36) Panelists share their take-home thoughts. (43:31) Please

You can listen to Anomalies in Analyzed Nutrients, Guests: Dr. Glen Broderick, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Mary Beth Hall, The Cows Are Always Right LLC online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Anomalies in Analyzed Nutrients, Guests: Dr. Glen Broderick, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Dr. Mary Beth Hall, The Cows Are Always Right LLC is an episode from Real Science Exchange by Balchem Animal Nutrition & Health.

This episode is 00:48:14 long.

This episode was published on Dec 30, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Real Science Exchange when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.