PROXIMATE ANALYSIS

The proximate analysis is a scheme for routine description of animal feed stuffs devised in 1865 by Henneberg and Stohmann at Weende’s Experiment Station in Germany. It is often referred to as the Weende’s System of Analysis and is principally devised to separate carbohydrates into two  broad classifications; crude fibre and nitrogen free extract (NFE). The system consists of determinations of water, ash, crude fat (ether extract), crude protein and crude fibre. As indicated, NFE is a component of the system, but it is measured by difference rather than by analysis. Proximate analysis allows  us to  make legitimate  comparisons of  feeds on  the  basis of specific nutrients. This makes it possible to know how much better one feed is than another in terms of specific nutrients.