Using portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) to determine fecal concentrations of non-absorbable digesta kinetic and digestibility markers in sheep and cattle

•Portable XRF can detect feed and fecal marker concentrations with up to 100% accuracy.•Results are repeatable.•Dry matter digestibility determined by silica concentration same as total fecal collection.•Reduced potential of analytical error due to removal of acid digestion prior to analysis.•Portab...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Animal feed science and technology 2016-02, Vol.212, p.35-41
Main Authors: Barnett, M.C., Forster, N.A., Ray, G.A., Li, L., Guppy, C.N., Hegarty, R.S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Digesta kinetics
Digestibility
Fecal marker concentration
Portable X-ray fluorescence
Silica
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Summary:•Portable XRF can detect feed and fecal marker concentrations with up to 100% accuracy.•Results are repeatable.•Dry matter digestibility determined by silica concentration same as total fecal collection.•Reduced potential of analytical error due to removal of acid digestion prior to analysis.•Portable XRF may provide greater accuracy with reduced cost and time compared to ICP. Concentration of indigestible markers in feces is routinely used to estimate the digestibility or rate of passage of feed through the gut. Current procedure for measuring fecal marker concentrations is an acid digest before analysis using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP). Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectroscopy uses short wavelength X-rays to excite sample material and generate characteristic elemental emissions proportional to the concentration of the element present in ground fecal material. The aim of this study was to measure fecal concentrations of Co, Cr, Ti, and Yb digesta marker by both ICP and pXRF and determine any correlation between the two methods, thereby assessing the potential of using pXRF as a marker analysis method. Silica (Si) concentrations in fecal and feed samples were also measured using both methods. Cattle and sheep feces and various feed samples collect from four separate studies were analyzed for concentrations of Co (CoEDTA), Cr (Cr mordanted fibre), Ti (TiO2), Yb (Yb(III)acetate), and Si using ICP and pXRF. Regression analysis used to assess the relationship between ICP and pXRF determined fecal concentrations indicated strong linear relationships (P
ISSN:0377-8401
1873-2216
DOI:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2015.12.015