Agronomy

Forage Evaluation Support Laboratory

FESL/PPARP Mission:

To provide forage nutritive value analysis for interdisciplinary IFAS researchers throughout the State of Florida
To support IFAS-wide plant breeders and geneticists by helping determine the DNA content of plant samples through the Plant Ploidy Analysis Research Program (PPARP)
To provide hands-on training and experience in laboratory procedures to post-doctoral associates and undergraduate and graduate students

FESL Services:

Plant tissue analyses using wet chemistry or near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS)
Plant ploidy analysis - Plant Ploidy Analysis Research Program (PPARP)

Plant Tissue Analyses - Wet Chemistry
Price is $6.50/analysis with no charge for dry matter or organic matter whenever other analyses are requested. Analyses offered and procedures used follow.

Plant Tissue Analyses - NIRS
Pricing information is available on NIRS Form 1 (see Forms to Use When Submitting Samples link). The FESL is part of the national NIRS Consortium and uses the prediction equations made available to their members.
- Total Nitrogen
- In Vitro True Dry Matter Digestibility (30 & 48 hours)
- Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF) and Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF)
- Lignin
- Digestible NDF (30 & 48 hours)
- Total Phosphorus, Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium

Forage Extension Laboratory
The Forage Extension Laboratory supports our producers by providing information on quality of grazed or stored forages. Our laboratory uses Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) for estimating nutritive value, with equations provided by the NIRS Consortium (https://www.nirsconsortium.com/). Reports will contain information on crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), in vitro total dry matter digestibility at 30 hours (IVTDMD30), total digestible nutrients (TDN) and relative forage quality (RFQ).

Forage samples will be processed weekly, and results reported within 10 days from the date the samples are received. The cost of the sample is $10.

Sampling:

Properly collecting and identifying a forage sample is very important.
- Hay samples should be taken with a core sampler driven into the end of a rectangular bale, or the rounded side of a round bale. Several cores should be combined in one composite sample with approximately 0.5 lbs of material. Each cutting and each field should be sampled separately.
- Pasture samples can be collected using "hand-plucked" samples or cut with scissors from different locations around the pasture and placed in a plastic or paper bag. Make sure all bags are identified with a unique sample number. Samples should be sent to the laboratory immediately after they are harvested.
- Silage or haylage can be collected from the face of a bunker silo as it is being fed, or by cutting small slits along the side of the bag and penetrating the hay sampler to collect the material. Reseal the slit with waterproof tape after collection. Collect silage from five or six places along the bag, mix well, and extract a single sample to send to the laboratory. Immediately place the sample in a plastic bag and seal it. If the sample is not mailed right away, place the sample in a refrigerator or freezer.
Remember, your results are only as good as your sample.
- Forage Extension Laboratory Form

Sample Submission
The following applies only to samples for nutritive value analyses (either wet chemistry or NIRS). For plant ploidy analyses, contact Richard Fethiere at fethiere@ufl.edu
- Dry at 55-60°C and grind to pass through a 1-mm screen. Uniform particle size is important as it may affect results (especially IVOMD and all NIRS analyses).
- Place ground samples in 7 oz. Whirl-Pak bags.
- Fill bag approximately one-half full (between 10 and 25 grams). Bags with either too little or too much sample make it difficult to obtain a representative subsample for analyses.
- Number all samples in a set consecutively from 1 to n. Do not skip numbers. Use a permanent marker to write the sample number directly on the sample bag. Place numbers on the bottom one-half of the bag.
- Complete Form 1 and Form 2 for your set. They can be submitted electronically or with your samples.
- Samples can be hand-delivered to 2088 McCarty Hall B on main campus or mailed to: 1676 McCarty Drive/3105 McCarty Hall B, P.O. Box 110500 (if using USPS), Gainesville, FL 32611-0500

Forms to Use When Submitting Samples
- FESL Form 1 – required only for wet chemistry
- NIRS Form 1 – required only for NIRS
- FESL Form 2 - required for both wet chemistry and NIRS
- Ploidy Analysis Sheet – required only for plant ploidy analysis