Determinação da fibra em detergente neutro em autoclave e em bloco digestor utilizando cadinho filtrante.

Abstract

The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) analysis is the most widely used method for quantifying the components of plant cell walls. However, the conventional method is time-consuming, allowing the analysis of only a small number of samples at a time. Over the years, alternative methods have been developed with the aim of reducing the time and labor required to analyze a large number of samples. The objective of this study was to compare the analysis of neutral detergent fiber in different foods using two alternative methodologies: the autoclave method and the Embrapa method, which utilizes a digestion block. The experimental design used was completely randomized with two treatments (autoclave and digestion block) on six different foods, each with six replications. The results were subjected to analysis of variance, and the means were compared using the F-test at a 5% probability level, with the statistical program R 4.4.2. It was observed that the NDF contents using the autoclave method and the Embrapa method (digestion block) differed significantly (p < 0.05) for the foods: corn, soybean meal, and cattle rearing concentrate. Conversely, bulky foods such as hay and sorghum silage and the total diet containing the evaluated bulky foods and concentrate showed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between the two methodologies used for NDF content. It was concluded that the analysis of neutral detergent fiber using the digester block is not recommended for concentrated foods, however, for bulky foods it produces results similar to using the autoclave.