Symposium review: Fiber and in vitro methods, analytical variation, and contributions to feed analysis

At least 2 basic inputs are needed to formulate rations: the nutritional requirements of the animals to be fed and the nutritional composition of the feeds. David R. Mertens not only defined fiber requirements for dairy cattle but became a leading expert in the laboratory measurement of fiber in feeds, digesta, and feces. Fiber is a heterogeneous nutritional entity composed mainly of polysaccharides and polyphenolics. Because the method defines the fiber that is measured, methods must be described thoroughly and followed exactly to obtain results that are repeatable within a laboratory and reproducible among others. Filtration of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) can be difficult, and those who have worked in his laboratory can attest that Mertens rigorously studied this, along with other method details to improve NDF analysis from sample preparation to blank corrections. Mertens's procedure for amylase-treated NDF (aNDF), using α-amylase and sodium sulfite with crucibles, culminated in the Association of Official Analytical Chemists Official Method 2002.04 for aNDF, which was also accepted as International Standard ISO 16472:2006 and is used worldwide as a reference method for feed evaluation. Because aNDF digestibility is variable and a key factor in overall digestibility, Mertens also worked to improve in vitro ruminal digestibility and gas production procedures within and among laboratories, including procedures using flasks or filter bags. His in vitro gas production method is currently used by commercial laboratories that generate a significant share of the aNDF digestibility results reported worldwide. Outside of the laboratory, his extensive outreach to commercial and research laboratories has had a huge impact on fiber analysis, in vitro digestibility, and other laboratory procedures. While advising the National Forage Testing Association, Mertens provided program infrastructure that improved laboratory proficiency in more than 120 laboratories in the United States and around the world. Most importantly, thanks to his advances in fiber analysis and in vitro digestibility techniques, Mertens has enhanced the evaluation of feeds and the nutrition and health of dairy cows. These contributions have helped thousands of dairy farmers and nutritionists around the globe and continue to have a substantial impact on the industry.