Category: Diet formulation

While bomb calorimetry measures a feed's gross energy, this total potential energy is not all available to an animal. Understanding how is the energy content of feed determined involves a cascade of measurements to account for digestive losses, providing a true picture of a feed's nutritional value for a balanced nutrition diet.

According to agricultural extension services, high-quality hay for beef cattle is often defined as having a TDN value of 58% or greater. Determining **what is a good TDN value**, however, is not a fixed answer but is dependent on the specific livestock species, their stage of production, and the overall diet being formulated.