Optimising feed strategy with NIR technology

With feed costs accounting for about 70% of the cost of animal production, precision nutrition has never been more vital and is an increasingly important way to stay competitive. In the past, feed analysis was notably time-consuming. It was a challenge to try to diagnose a problem on-farm and calculate if (and how) a ration needed adjustment immediately. This changed with the introduction of NIR – Near Infrared Spectroscopy. Samples could now be analysed within minutes on a much more regular basis, allowing adjustments to be made quickly. A now well-established method, NIR can provide real-time values for total dietary fibre and NSPs alongside ingredient analysis, empowering producers to make more informed decisions on feed formulation and quality control.

How has NIR technology advanced, and what is its importance for the modern producer?

• Rocio Garcia, NIR Software Application Manager: “NIR has become a trending technique in the feed industry – it has many features that really support producers’ needs in terms of speed, reliability and cost. Those attributes benefit fast decision-making and contribute to the industry flow.”
• Simon Flanagan, NIR Services Manager: “Much of the recent advancements in NIR technology has been through miniaturisation and connectivity.”

Why do you believe demand for NIR solutions has increased over the years?

• Rocio: “Customers value the fast, reliable analysis they get with a single scan. NIR is more precise than wet chemistry, with fewer stages where things can go wrong.”
• Simon: “The key benefits of NIR as an analytical technique are that it is reliable, rapid, easy to use, low cost, and environmentally friendly.”

How has AB Vista adapted its NIR offering to better serve the evolving market?

• Rocio: “What we offer to customers is made using technology that was already available, grown into newer products and parameters.”
• Simon: “AB Vista, as a highly technical business, was – and continues to be – an ideal location for NIR.”

Looking to the next 20 years, how can AB Vista continue to innovate in terms of NIR?

• Rocio: “I foresee AB Vista offering customers more products that will support their needs.”
• Simon: “Over the last 20 years, we’ve focused on generating the best possible nutrient results for our customers.”

What do you find more interesting about your work?

• Rocio: “I believe the business we run has a big impact on the way the world is evolving and being part of that is a great thing.”
• Simon: “A lot of my work can be categorised as ‘problem solving’, whether it is helping to resolve customer issues or working out how a requested feature can be useful to as many customers as possible.”

Latest news: Calculate the percentage of dietary fibre in your feed. Our calculator is designed for nutritionists and uses averages of global raw materials to calculate the dietary fibre content of finished animal feed.