2002 Annual Conference Recap
With the 2002 Annual Conference 3 months behind us, a recap of projects that we agreed to work on as a group includes:
1. Continue updates to 105° C DM equation
2. Updates of Consortium hay equation will
proceed after differences between lab
performance is resolved
3. A sample handling ring test to determine
effect of variation in sample handling
between labs
4. Update of wet chemistry dNDF for
legume/grass hays and haylages for
microwave dried samples
5. Release of corn silage dNDF equation
As projects progress, Consortium members will be contacted for participation. Thanks to everyone’s input at the Annual Conference this year!
Coors/Lauer Unfermented Corn Silage Equation
The Consortium is working to get an equation developed by Jim Coors and Joe Lauer from the University of Wisconsin available to Consortium members. At this time, licensing with WARF is being pursued. This equation is a quality assessment for unfermented corn silage and includes predictions for DM, CP, ADF, NDF, NDFD, and Starch.
Updated Membership List
Please see the updated member list below for information on contacting other Consortium members. A document with full listings of members, Consortium board, and members’ websites is attached separately with this newsletter. Let us know if there are any further updates.
Sample Handling/Grinding
Survey
We conducted a survey of Consortium labs to collect information on sample handling and grinding before NIR scanning. The following table summarizes the similarities and differences in method between our labs. The next step will be to conduct a sample exchange or sample evaluation to compare the effect of variation in sample handling between labs.
During summer of 2000 the Consortium conducted a particle size evaluation with the alfalfa breeders. The results of this test showed that by standardizing sample handling and preparation, the alfalfa breeders were able to improve repeatability within their own lab and were better able to detect smaller differences between samples.
Summary of Sample Handling Survey
Number of labs in
survey: 11
Labs reporting method of
drying used:
Oven alone: 4
Microwave alone: 4
Mic. & Oven: 3
Range in residual moisture: 2 to 12%
Range in time before scanning: 0.5 to 24 hr
Labs reporting method of
sample splitting used:
Mix then manual: 4
Mix then quarter or slice: 4
None/ whole sample dried 1
Labs reporting method of
splitting the dry subsample:
All subsample ground 5
Mechanical separator: 2
Manual: 3
Labs reporting grinder type:
Cyclone-type (primary ) 6
Other (primary) 1
Wiley or other followed by
cyclone 4
Range in screen change
schedule: ˝ to 5 mos.
Range in blade sharpening
schedule: 1 to 5 mos.
Welcome to New Consortium Instrument Specialist
Since our annual conference when most of us met Susan Selman, our new instrument specialist, and many members have had the opportunity to work with her or ask her questions. Here’s what Susan would like to share with you about herself:
“I grew up on a small farm in
eastern South Dakota. I earned a BS in Horticulture and Biology at South
Dakota State University. Then I went to work in Kansas as a Nursery Manager in
Salina before moving to Manhattan to work as an agricultural
chemist. After this, I went back to South Dakota State to pursue a
Masters in Agronomy while working full time in the Plant Science Department
with Forages and Grasses. My masters thesis contained work using a hand
held FieldSpec-FR for a non-destructive method of quick analysis. This
included collecting spectra from the hand held instrument and converting those
spectra to NIRS compatible spectra. Equations were developed for nondestructive
intact plants, dried whole plants and dried ground plants. After
receiving my Masters, I took a job with W-L Research in Evansville, WI. I
was the forage lab manager until January 2002, when the parent company closed
the location. I have worked with NIRS for about 10 years at SDSU and W-L
Research.
I have a wonderful husband
and two daughters and reside in Evansville, WI.
I play woman and coed
softball during the summer.”
For further information on any of these topics, please contact Patty Laskowski.
Patty
Laskowski
NIRS
Consortium
1575
Linden Drive
Madison,
WI 53706
ph:
608-661-7678
Email:pmlaskowski@facstaff.wisc.edu