Animal Nutrition Laboratory

This animal nutrition laboratory provides scientific and technical support in research on the feeding of mono- and polygastric domestic species. It focuses its activity on digestibility and nutrient utilization studies, and on fermentation and microbial synthesis studies in the digestive tract.

The technical evaluation of additives, raw materials and by-products used in animal feed is carried out, as well as their technological treatment through:

• Chemical analysis
• Fermentation kinetics studies
• In vitro enzymatic digestion tests.
• Ingestion and in vivo digestion tests.

Research on fermentation and microbial synthesis is oriented to the study of the factors that regulate gastrointestinal fermentation and how they affect the different populations of microorganisms in the digestive tract, and their contribution to the supply of nutrients to the host animal. 
The effects of additives on digestion and fermentation are also technically evaluated. For this purpose, this laboratory provides support to the research by means of:

• Identification of the microbiota in the digestive tract
• Quantification of microbial synthesis in vivo
• Study of digestive flows
• Characterization of ruminal fermentation, protein degradation and digestive transit kinetics.

Another type of research aimed at pastoral systems in arid conditions is also developed, through technical evaluation of nutritional resources and assessment of crop alternatives adapted to these conditions.

The laboratory has the following equipment:

• In vitro fermentation system with discontinuous flow of liquid and solid phases, which simulates rumen fermentation conditions. Patent No. P200600043
• Microscopy
• Gas chromatograph for quantitative determination of volatile compounds in gas phase. ALS 6890 Series Plus. Agilent
• High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Waters®717plus Autosampler
• Crude and total fat extractor with hydrolysis ANKOM HCL Hydrolysis system
• Crude and total fat extractor with solvent ANKOM XT15 Extraction System
• Dietary, crude, neutral and acidic fiber analyzer ANKOM 220 Fiber Analyzer
• Kjeldahl Nitrogen Analyzer, Kjeltec™ 2300Analyzer Unit FOSS
• Drying ovens, muffle ovens
• Other standard laboratory equipment

For in vivo assays, the experimental livestock facilities belonging to the Animal Experimentation Support Service of the University of Zaragoza are available.