Determining Dry Matter Content of Grass: A Comprehensive Study
The study aims to determine the dry matter content of grass using a detailed method involving sample preparation, oven drying, and calculations. By following the outlined procedure, the dry matter percentage of grass samples can be accurately measured, providing valuable insights into nutrient composition. This information is essential in agricultural practices for optimizing feed quality and understanding how moisture content affects feed weight and nutrient value.
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Presentation Transcript
Aim: To Determine the Dry Matter Content of Aim: To Determine the Dry Matter Content of Grass Grass Date: Hypothesis: Equipment: Grass Sample Oven Beaker Scissors Balance Tongs
Variables: Variables: Independent Variable: Samples of Grass DM Content Dependent Variable: Same oven, same oven temperature, same time in oven. Factors to Keep Constant:
Method: 1. Dry off any excess water off the grass using tissue. 2. Cut the grass into short lengths of equal size, using a scissors. 3. Weigh each of the empty beakers using the electronic balance and record mass. 4. Add a sample of cut grass to each of the beakers. 5. Weigh each beaker and record its mass. 6. Place all the beakers in the oven at 100 c. 7. Remove the beakers from the oven and re-weigh every 5 minutes until a constant mass is reached. 8. Record results in the table and calculate the DM content of the grass samples. 9. Calculate the average DM content of the grass.
Results: Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 3 Mass of empty beaker (1) Mass of beaker + fresh grass (2) Mass of fresh grass (2-1) Mass of beaker + Grass Dried to a Constant mass (3) Dry Grass (3-1) DM % = Dry Grass x 100 Fresh Grass
Conclusion: The grass sample consists of _______% dry matter and ______% water. Relevance To Agriculture: Dry matter refers to material remaining after the removal of water. The nutrients in feeds, required by the animal for maintenance, growth, pregnancy and lactation are part of the DM portion of the feed. Knowing the moisture content of a feed is important because the moisture content affects the weight of the feed but does not provide nutrient value to the animal. A variety of factors affect the moisture content of feeds. These include the timing of harvest, weather and environmental conditions such as humidity.
