News — Palm Abbe
Using a Brix Refractometer to Test Hay, Grass and Forage for Livestock
Posted by Charlie Downs on
Using a Brix Refractometer to Test Hay, Grass and Forage for Livestock
Hay, pasture grass and other forage crops are among the most important components of livestock feeding programs. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats and other grazing animals depend on forage for much of their daily nutrition, yet two bales of hay that look almost identical can have very different nutritional characteristics.
Color, smell, leafiness, maturity and texture can provide useful clues, but visual inspection cannot tell a producer how much water-soluble material is present in the plant. Laboratory forage analysis remains the most comprehensive way to determine nutritional characteristics such as crude protein, fiber, energy and water-soluble carbohydrates. However, laboratory testing takes time and requires sending a sample away.
A refractometer provides a fast way to take a measurement directly from plant sap or a prepared forage extract.
For producers who want a quick field measurement, a Brix refractometer can provide useful information about the soluble material present in grass and forage. The technique is particularly interesting for fresh pasture grasses, legumes and other forage plants where sap can be extracted directly from the plant.
- 0 comment
- Tags: BOSS Refractometer, Brix Refractometer, Dairy, Misco Refractometer, Palm Abbe, Refractometer
Firefighting Suppression Foam: How to Measure Foam Concentration and Mixing Ratios with a Digital Refractometer
Posted by Charlie Downs on
Firefighting Suppression Foam: How to Measure Foam Concentration and Mixing Ratios with a Digital Refractometer
Firefighting foam is engineered to work at a specific concentration. Too little foam concentrate can reduce the effectiveness of the finished foam solution, while an incorrect proportioning rate can affect foam expansion, drainage, vapor suppression, and overall fire-control performance.
That makes foam concentration testing an important part of commissioning, inspection, maintenance, and troubleshooting for fire suppression systems.
One of the most practical field methods is the digital refractometer. A small sample of foam solution can be tested in seconds, providing a quantitative measurement that is far more useful than relying only on appearance, foam blanket characteristics, or equipment settings.
Modern digital refractometers from MISCO are particularly well suited to this application because they can measure refractive index with high resolution. A properly selected BOSS refractometer can also provide a practical, economical field-testing option for applications where a low-range Brix scale is appropriate.