Ag Health Laboratories strives to provide the most accurate and comprehensive nutrient analysis for superior ration formulation and cow performance. We use quality technology and up-to-date equations to perform the best quality testing. For our ranking tool for alfalfa and grass forages, we use the Digestible Organic Matter Index (DOMI).
Feed Analysis
What is Digestible Organic Matter Index (DOMI)?
When purchasing hay, what tools do you use to identify quality? How do you set the price accordingly to reflect quality? These are common questions heard throughout the industry. Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) is an excellent equation, but requires extra nutrient analyses which makes it expensive to generate. Relative Feed Value (RFV) is the most common index historically used to buy or sell hay. However, there are major flaws in this index, such as, it doesn't account for ash content or for fiber digestibility of hay crop forages.
How do you rank your forages for quality?
It is a calculation that reports pounds of digestible OM in a ton of fed. The equation adjusts for ash and indigestible NDF. These are two primary factors that will influence quality, but have not been used in some ranking tools in the past.