Department of Dairy Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg 24061.
Thiex Laboratory Solutions LLC, Brookings, SD 57006.
J Dairy Sci. 2023 Jun;106(6):4464-4469. doi: 10.3168/jds.2022-22407. Epub 2022 Sep 27.
At least 2 basic inputs are needed to formulate rations: the nutritional requirements of the animals to be fed and the nutritional composition of the feeds. David R. Mertens not only defined fiber requirements for dairy cattle but became a leading expert in the laboratory measurement of fiber in feeds, digesta, and feces. Fiber is a heterogeneous nutritional entity composed mainly of polysaccharides and polyphenolics. Because the method defines the fiber that is measured, methods must be described thoroughly and followed exactly to obtain results that are repeatable within a laboratory and reproducible among others. Filtration of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) can be difficult, and those who have worked in his laboratory can attest that Mertens rigorously studied this, along with other method details to improve NDF analysis from sample preparation to blank corrections. Mertens's procedure for amylase-treated NDF (aNDF), using α-amylase and sodium sulfite with crucibles, culminated in the Association of Official Analytical Chemists Official Method 2002.04 for aNDF, which was also accepted as International Standard ISO 16472:2006 and is used worldwide as a reference method for feed evaluation. Because aNDF digestibility is variable and a key factor in overall digestibility, Mertens also worked to improve in vitro ruminal digestibility and gas production procedures within and among laboratories, including procedures using flasks or filter bags. His in vitro gas production method is currently used by commercial laboratories that generate a significant share of the aNDF digestibility results reported worldwide. Outside of the laboratory, his extensive outreach to commercial and research laboratories has had a huge impact on fiber analysis, in vitro digestibility, and other laboratory procedures. While advising the National Forage Testing Association, Mertens provided program infrastructure that improved laboratory proficiency in more than 120 laboratories in the United States and around the world. Most importantly, thanks to his advances in fiber analysis and in vitro digestibility techniques, Mertens has enhanced the evaluation of feeds and the nutrition and health of dairy cows. These contributions have helped thousands of dairy farmers and nutritionists around the globe and continue to have a substantial impact on the industry.
制定日粮至少需要 2 个基本输入：要饲养的动物的营养需求和饲料的营养成分。David R. Mertens 不仅定义了奶牛的纤维需求，而且成为了饲料、消化物和粪便中纤维实验室测量的主要专家。纤维是一种由主要由多糖和多酚组成的异质营养实体。由于该方法定义了要测量的纤维，因此必须详细描述方法并严格遵循，以在实验室内部获得可重复的结果，并在其他实验室之间具有可重现性。中性洗涤剂纤维（NDF）的过滤可能很困难，在他的实验室工作过的人都可以证明，Mertens 严格研究了这一点，以及其他方法细节，以改善从样品制备到空白校正的 NDF 分析。Mertens 用α-淀粉酶和亚硫酸钠处理的 NDF（aNDF）的程序，使用坩埚，最终形成了美国官方分析化学家协会 2002.04 年的官方方法用于 aNDF，该方法也被国际标准化组织 2006 年的国际标准 ISO 16472 所接受，并且在全球范围内被用作饲料评估的参考方法。由于 aNDF 消化率是可变的，也是整体消化率的关键因素，因此 Mertens 还致力于改进实验室内部和实验室之间的体外瘤胃消化率和气体产生程序，包括使用烧瓶或过滤袋的程序。他的体外气体产生方法目前被商业实验室使用，这些实验室生成了全球报告的 aNDF 消化率结果的很大一部分。在实验室之外，他广泛与商业和研究实验室接触，对纤维分析、体外消化率和其他实验室程序产生了巨大影响。在为国家饲草测试协会提供咨询服务时，Mertens 提供了项目基础设施，使美国和世界各地的 120 多个实验室提高了实验室的熟练程度。最重要的是，由于他在纤维分析和体外消化率技术方面的进步，Mertens 增强了对饲料和奶牛营养和健康的评估。这些贡献帮助了全球成千上万的奶牛农民和营养师，并继续对该行业产生重大影响。
