What is Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) Analysis?
NIR relates a sample’s reflectance of near infrared light to its chemical composition. It relies on prediction equations of nutrient levels, rather than actual measurements. Before any feed can be analyzed using NIR analysis, hundreds of calibration samples of the same feed type must be analyzed using standard laboratory wet chemistry methods and then tested using NIR. By relating the results from the standard analysis to NIR, a calibration set of data for the NIR instrument is developed. This is critical for accurate results. NIR analysis is not suitable for determining the nutrient content of most alternative feeds because information on the nutrient content of these feeds is limited and nutrient levels often are quite variable.
