Many institutions are doing research and development on animal feed. These institutions include:
- Animal and Dairy Research
- Department of Agriculture
- Universities
- Technicons
- Private Industries
The aim is to improve the nutritional value of the feed.
Part of the research involves the calorific value of the feed. The calorific value of a particular feed is the same as the energy content of that feed.
The sample to be measured is grounded into a powder and then prepared into tablet form. The sample should be made into a tablet to prevent splattering when the sample burns. Splattering is when unburnt sample is thrown out of the crucible during combustion, thus causing inaccurate results. In a tablet form, feeds usually burn consistently and do not splatter.
If a sample does not ignite easily then the spiking method of ignition can be used. In this method, a benzoic acid tablet is added to the crucible. The benzoic acid burns easily and ignites the sample; the energy of the benzoic acid is removed from the calculation.
In some research, the calorific value of the excretions of the animal are also measured to ensure that the animal has absorbed all the energy content of the feed.