Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy of buffalo faeces to determine the nutritional characteristics of diets and digestibility: Preliminary study

The use of NIR technology in evaluating the nutritional qualities of buffalo diets is a promising and costeffective method. The study conducted on 100 stool samples demonstrated that NIR could accurately predict the nutritional characteristics of diets and the digestibility of buffalo feed. The study was conducted on a buffalo farm located in southern Italy. The animals from which the individual stool samples were collected were all in their third lactation and homogeneous in terms of milk production from the previous lactation. The variability in stool samples obtained could be attributed to individual differences in animal nutrition and metabolism. However, despite this variability, the results obtained from the NIR analysis were promising and provided valuable insights into the nutritional quality of the diets fed to buffaloes. The use of NIR technology can bring great benefits to buffalo farming by providing a quick and efficient way to evaluate the nutritional quality of diets. This information is essential to optimize feed composition and ensure animal health and productivity. Overall, the study demonstrates the potential of NIR technology in evaluating the nutritional qualities of feces and predicting the nutritional characteristics of buffalo diets. Further research and validation of this method could significantly contribute to improving buffalo husbandry practices.