كتاب
Water and Feed Samples Submission
- Alternative evaluation of feed quality (Cruz, 1996)
Sensory evaluation, physical examination, water stability test and palatability test are alternative methods for evaluating the quality of feeds without the use of laboratory equipment as following:
Feed quality problems indicators include:
- Minimal or no improvement after drug or antibiotic treatment.
- Signs of rancidity.
- Disease occurrence that is associated with a particular feed batch.
Smell and taste
- Depends on experience, can spot major formulation changes as, fresh feeds have a pleasant odor, high protein (> 30%) diets possess a strong odor of animal meal, old feeds has weak odor, spoiled feeds have a musty smell due to fat rancidity and fungal growth, and spoiled feeds taste sour, bitter, or rancid.
Moisture and hardness
- Moist feeds are quite soft and easily compressed. When placed in a bottle/bag and shaken, the sound is muffled and does not move freely.
Color
- Feed color reflects the type of raw, cooking temperature, degree of cooking. Feed deterioration also affects the color.
