Keywords
Cattlemen's Day, 2000; Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station contribution; no. 00-287-S; Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service); 850; Beef; Starch availability; Steam-flaked corn; Refractive index
Abstract
Steam-flaked corn samples were used in a series of experiments to determine if refractive index could be used as a rapid, inexpensive method to predict starch availability. Results were best when samples were incubated for 15 min with 500 to 600 active units of enzyme/gm of grain prior to measuring on a hand-held refractometer. Correlations to starch availability determined from gas production by a commercial lab were R=.64 for whole flakes and R=.79 when samples were ground. Samples of corn flaked to different densities produced estimates of solubility similar to an in situ dry matter disappearance assay (R2 = .84, P<.01). Furthermore, refractive index yielded estimates of starch solubility that were well related to a commercial lab's measures of glucose release for samples of flaked corn that were stored for 0 to 48 hours subsequent to flaking.
Recommended Citation
Sindt, J.J.; Montgomery, Sean P.; Farran, T.B.; and Drouillard, James S.
(2000)
"Refractive index: a rapid method for determination of starch availability in grains (2000),"
Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station Research Reports:
Vol. 0:
Iss.
1.
https://doi.org/10.4148/2378-5977.1801