Determination of the Dependences of the Nutritional Value of Corn Silage and Photoluminescent Properties

Abstract

This article examines existing optical methods for the diagnostics of food and feed products used in agriculture to determine their nutritional value or detect maximum permissible indicators. Among the most common feeds used for cattle, corn silage is considered. Its nutritional value depends on many external factors that need to be taken into account when formulating feeding rations. This article is dedicated to assessing the prospects of using visible-range photoluminescence for determining dry matter content, total protein content, and NDF (neutral detergent fiber) using a portable device in field conditions without lengthy sample preparation. This research aims to develop a laboratory device and establish the theoretical foundations for determining the nutritional value of agricultural feeds using photoluminescence. The study revealed that the most indicative range for measuring nutritional corn silage is to use excitation via radiation with a wavelength of about 362 nm. At the same time, the luminescent radiation flux must be measured in a range of 440–620 nm. Moreover, R2 values greater than 0.8 were achieved in correlation after constructing luminescence relationships only for the determination of dry matter content/moisture, total protein content, and NDF. This indicates the potential use of the proposed method for determining these parameters.