Complete Near-Infrared Solution for Animal Feed and Ingredient Analysis

Significance of the topic

The quality and compositional consistency of animal feed and feed ingredients directly affect animal health, production performance, regulatory compliance, and commercial margins. Rapid, multi-constituent screening at-line or at receiving docks enables feed manufacturers to identify out-of-specification lots, control blending and processing steps in real time, and reduce reliance on slow, reagent-based wet-chemistry assays. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, particularly Fourier-transform NIR (FT-NIR), provides a non-destructive, reagent-free approach that supports high-throughput feed analysis with low per-sample cost and minimal operator training.

Goals and overview of the Antaris feed and ingredient analyzer

The Thermo Scientific Antaris Feed and Ingredient Analyzer is presented as a turnkey FT-NIR solution designed to deliver immediate, routine compositional analysis across a broad range of feedstuffs and raw ingredients. Key objectives are to: provide pre-calibrated models for common feed parameters; minimize the capital and technical burden of developing and maintaining NIR calibration databases in-house; and enable robust, production-floor analysis with simple, workflow-based software. The solution couples the Antaris II FT-NIR instrument with INGOT Level 4 calibration packages and RESULT/TQ Analyst software to support rapid multi-component routine testing.

Methodology and analytical approach

The system uses Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy with an integrating sphere for diffuse reflectance measurements. Important methodological features include:

• FT-NIR acquisition to obtain high spectral resolution and signal fidelity
• Dynamically aligned interferometer to maintain reproducibility in unstable production environments
• Internal, automatic background collection with the sample in place to reduce operator- and environment-induced variability
• High-throughput integrating sphere optics and sample cup spinner accessories (5 or 12 cm) to maximize collected diffusely reflected light and ensure representative sampling
• Preprocessing and chemometric calibration via INGOT models developed by spectroscopy experts and supported with reference wet chemistry according to official methods
• No sample preparation, consumables, or chemical reagents required for routine analysis

Instrumentation used

The packaged solution includes the following components:

• Antaris II Fourier Transform Near-Infrared (FT-NIR) analyzer (heavy-duty sealed housing)
• Integrating Sphere Module with 5 cm or 12 cm sample cup spinner accessory
• RESULT software for routine workflow operations
• TQ Analyst software for chemometric calibration management and advanced analysis
• INGOT Level 4 Animal Feed and Ingredient calibration package (pre-calibrated models)

Main results and discussion

The brochure reports broad analytical coverage and strong calibration statistics for common feed constituents. Representative parameter ranges and correlation coefficients (r) from the INGOT calibrations are summarized below (approximate values):

• Moisture: 0.8–22.7% (r ≈ 0.940)
• Fat: 0.01–59.7% (r ≈ 0.989)
• Protein: 1.7–89.8% (r ≈ 0.993)
• Fiber: 0.1–38.2% (r ≈ 0.965)
• Ash: 0.2–55.2% (r ≈ 0.863)
• Starch: 0.01–66.5% (r ≈ 0.990)
• Total sugar: 0.1–77.7% (r ≈ 0.973)
• NDF: 2.4–77.3% (r ≈ 0.969)
• ADF: 3.5–30.0% (r ≈ 0.987)
• NCGD (nitrogen-corrected... as reported): 16.2–97.5% (r ≈ 0.961)

These correlations indicate high predictive performance for primary nutritional constituents (protein, fat, starch) across a large dynamic range of sample types. The product positioning emphasizes method transferability, continual calibration updates, and technical support from the INGOT/Aunir collaboration and CRA-W expertise. The instrument design choices (automatic background, dynamically aligned interferometer, sealed housing) target robustness and repeatability in industrial environments where temperature, vibration, and dust can challenge spectral stability.

Limitations implied by the data include lower correlation for ash compared with other constituents (likely reflecting intrinsic challenges for NIR prediction of inorganic content) and the general need to maintain representative calibration sets when novel raw materials or process by-products are introduced.

Benefits and practical applications

Primary practical advantages for feed manufacturers and ingredient suppliers include:

• Rapid multi-constituent results in seconds enabling at-line decision making
• Elimination of routine wet-chemistry reagents and disposables, lowering per-test operational costs
• Pre-calibrated INGOT models reduce time and expertise required to deploy NIR analysis
• High throughput and simple workflow software improve operator efficiency
• Support for process control (mixing, drying, pelleting) to reduce rework and out-of-spec product
• Robust hardware design suited to production environments with minimal sample preparation required

Future trends and potential applications

Expected developments and opportunities for this class of solutions include:

• Expansion and refinement of calibration libraries to cover emerging feed ingredients (novel protein sources, co-products, insect meals) and geographic-specific formulations
• Continuous cloud-based calibration updates and centralized model management to improve transferability across sites
• Integration with plant control systems and LIMS for automated corrective actions and real-time quality dashboards
• Deployment of inline/online NIR probes for process analytical technology (PAT) applications, complementing at-line analyzers
• Advanced chemometric techniques (transfer learning, domain adaptation, machine learning ensembles) to improve predictions for constituents that are challenging by NIR (e.g., ash, minerals)
• Increased use of predictive maintenance and self-diagnosis features driven by instrument telemetry

Conclusion

The Antaris Feed and Ingredient Analyzer represents a practical FT-NIR turnkey solution for routine feed quality control that balances analytical performance, operational robustness, and ease of use. Pre-calibrated INGOT models and workflow software shorten deployment time and reduce the requirement for in-house spectroscopic expertise. While certain constituents (notably ash/minerals) remain intrinsically harder to predict by NIR, the system delivers high correlation for key nutritional parameters and supports improved process control, cost reduction, and faster decision-making in feed manufacturing operations.

References

• Thermo Fisher Scientific. Antaris Feed and Ingredient Analyzer product brochure, FL52069_E 09/14M.
• INGOT calibrations and support: Aunir (AB Agri Ltd.) and Walloon Agricultural Research Center (CRA-W) collaboration (as reported in vendor documentation).