Category: Fiber analysis

The traditional crude fiber analysis method significantly underestimates true fiber content, sometimes by 30-50%. Understanding how to calculate crude fiber from ADF and NDF requires recognizing that a direct conversion is impossible due to fundamental differences in methodology.

Developed in the 1960s, the neutral detergent fiber method provides a more accurate measure of fiber than older techniques like crude fiber analysis. This process, pioneered by Peter J. Van Soest, is a cornerstone of modern animal nutrition for understanding the indigestible plant cell wall components in feedstuffs.