This document provides procedures for determining the proximate analysis of feeds, including moisture content, ash content, crude protein content, ether extract, and crude fibre. Moisture content is determined by drying a feed sample to a constant weight. Ash content is measured by igniting the remaining dry matter in a furnace. Crude protein content is quantified using the Kjeldahl method of digestion, distillation, and titration. Ether extract is extracted from the sample using Soxhlet extraction with diethyl ether. Crude fibre is determined by sequential boiling and filtering of the sample with acid and base solutions.

1. PROXIMATE ANALYSIS OF FEEDS
UMAR HAYAT
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2. Moisture Determination
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Weigh 4 – 5 gm of a feed sample in a clean previously dried aluminium basin
Place the aluminium basin with lid in the oven at 105 C overnight
Cool the basin with lid in a desiccator for 30 min to cool.
Weigh the basin.
The drying and weighing continues until a constant weight is achieved.
Sample may be stored in dessicator for determination of ether extract
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%Moisture = (Wt of fresh sample- Wt of dried sample) x 100
Wt of sample taken
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%DM = 100 - %Moisture.
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Since the water content of feed varied very widely, ingredients and feed are
usually compared for their nutrient content on moisture free or dry matter (DM)
basis.

3. Ash Determination
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Place new or clean crucible in muffle furnace. Ignite at 600 for one hr
Transfer crucibles from furnace to dessicator
Keep in dessicator for 1 hr to cool down at room temperature.
Weigh the crucible and record.
Add 2-4 g of the sample and weigh again.
The crucible is placed into muffle furnace at 600 C for 4 hrs or until
whitish-grey ash is obtained.
Switch off the muffle furnace
Cool down to 200-300 C and transfer to dessicator
The crucible is then placed in the desiccator for one hour to cool down to
room temperature
Weigh the crucibles.
%Ash = wt of crucible+ash – wt of crucible x 100
wt of sample

4. Crude Protein (Kjeldahl method)
Digestion:
• weigh about 2g of the sample
• Transfer the sample into kjeldahl flask
• Add 4-5 gm of the catalyst and add 25mls of concentrated sulphuric
acid,
• Wash the neck of the kjeldahl flask with a jet of water from wash
bottle.
• Place the flask on digestion assembly and continue heating of flask
with occasional turning.
• Continue heating for 30 min after solution is clear.
• Switch off the heater to cool the flask
• Transfer the digest into 100ml volumetric flask. Make up the
volume with washing with distilled water.

5. Distillation:
• Steam up the Markham Still apparatus and add about
10ml of the digest into the apparatus via a funnel
• Add 10 mls of sodium hydroxide from the measuring
cylinder so that ammonia is not lost.
• Plug the funnel firmly add a few ml H2O
• Distill for 5 min and collect the distillate into a conical
flask containg 10 ml of 2% boric acid
solutioncontaining screened methyl red indicator.
• Collect the droping from the condensor for 1 min
• Wash tip of the condenser into the flask

6. Titration
• Alkaline ammonium borate formed is titrated directly
with 0.1N HCl.
• The titre value (the volume of acid used) is recorded.
• The volume of acid used is fitted into the formula
which becomes %N = 14 x VA x 0.1 x W x100
1000x100
• VA = volume of acid used W= weight of sample
• % Crude Protein = %N x 6.25

7. Ether Extract
• Soxhlet apparatus used for the determination of ether
extract has 3 major components
– 1. An extractor: comprising the thimble which holds the sample
– 2. Condenser: for cooling and condensing the ether vapour
– 3. 250ml flask
Procedure:
• About 150 ml of an anhydrous diethyl ether (petroleum
ether) of boiling point of 40-60 C is placed in the flask.
• 2-5g of the sample is weighed into a thimble and the
thimble is plugged with cotton wool.
• The thimble with content is placed into the extractor; the
ether is then heated in the flask

8. Ether Extraction
• As the ether vapours condensed to liquid form, drop into
the sample in the thimble,
• the ether soluble substances are dissolved and are carried
into solution through the siphon tube back into the flask.
• The extraction continues for at least 4 hrs. The thimble is
removed and most of the solvent is distilled from the flask
into the extractor.
• The flask is then disconnected and placed in an oven at 65
C for 4 hrs,
• cooled in desiccator and weighed.
• %Ether extract = wt of flask + extract – tare wt of flask x100
• wt of sample

9. Crude Fibre Estimation
• The fat-free material transferred into a flask/beaker and
200mls of pre-heated 1.25% H2SO4 is added and the
solution is gently boiled for about 30mins, maintaining
constant volume of acid by the addition of hot water.
• The buckner flask funnel fitted with whatman filter is preheated by pouring hot water into the funnel.
• The boiled acid sample mixture is filtered hot through the
funnel under sufficient suction
• Wash the residue several times with boiling water (until the
residue is neutral to litmus paper) and transfer back into
the beaker.
• Added 200ml of pre-heated 1.25% Na2SO4 and boil for
another 30 mins.

10. Crude Fibre Estimation
• . Filter under suction and wash thoroughly with hot
water and twice with ethanol.
• The residue dried at 65 C for about 24hrs and weighed.
• Transfer the residue into a crucible and place in muffle
furnace at 600 C and ash for 4 hrs,
• Cool in desiccator and weigh.
%Crude fibre =
Dry wt of residue before ashing - wt
of residue after
ashing /wt of sample
x100