Measurement Guide: Feed Ingredients & Finished Feed
Please follow the steps below. You can also download the Measurement Guide for PAL One or Measurement Guide for PAL Two. For PAL Two watch our videos:
Connect & Calibrate trinamiX PAL Two
Sample Preparation & Measuring Feed Ingredients & Finished feed
1. Prepare the spectrometer
PAL One
Ensure that the scan window of the spectrometer is clean. Use soft gauze and alcohol like ethanol or isopropanol for cleaning.
Check regularly in between measurements if there is dirt, particles or other contamination on the scan window.
PAL Two & Rotator
If you are using a rotator, clean both rotator cups thoroughly.
Tip: Use one cup exclusively for calibration and the other for sample measurements to avoid cross-contamination.
2. Set up and calibrate the spectrometer
PAL One
Switch on the spectrometer.
Open the Spectroscopy App and navigate to the spectrometer settings. Tap the refresh button to search for available spectrometers and select yours from the list to connect.
Navigate to the spectrometer settings and click the button “Calibrate”. Please follow the guided two-step process in the app.
PAL Two & Rotator
Attach the rotator to the PAL Two spectrometer.
Open the Guide app and click the green “Calibrate” button in the app to start calibration. You must perform an open port scan and a reference scan.
Please follow the on-screen instructions and animations closely for a smooth calibration process.
3. Prepare the sample
PAL One
Take samples from different spots, mix them well to create a representative feed sample.
Grind the sample for 40 seconds (4 × 10 sec) using an electric grinder. A more homogeneous sample means more consistent results. Let the sample cool down to room temperature.
Place the ground sample in a clean ceramic bowl and ensure that the bottom is completely covered.
PAL Two & Rotator
Place the ground sample in a clean rotator cup. Avoid sharp objects that could cause scratches.
Ensure that the bottom is completely covered and contains at least 3 cm of material.
Place the rotator cup into the rotator.
4. Measure the sample
PAL One
Start scanning by operating the spectrometer directly or via the Spectroscopy App on your mobile device. The app will indicate how many scans are required.
Please make sure to move your spectrometer while measuring.
PAL Two & Rotator
Select the application that matches your sample in the Guide App.
Start the rotator by pressing the button on top. The lights indicate the battery status.
Start scanning by operating the spectrometer directly or via the Guide App on your phone. The app will indicate how many scans are required.
Measurement Guide: Forages
Please follow the steps below. You can also watch our videos:
Sample Preparation & Measuring Silage
or download the Sample Preparation and Measurement Guide for PAL Two.
1. Prepare the spectrometer
Ensure that the scan window of the PAL Two spectrometer is clean. Use soft gauze and alcohol like ethanol or isopropanol for cleaning.
Clean both rotator cups thoroughly.
Tip: Use one cup exclusively for calibration and the other for sample measurements to avoid cross-contamination.
2. Set up and calibrate the spectrometer
Attach the rotator to the spectrometer.
Open the Guide app and click the green “Calibrate” button in the app to start calibration. You must perform an open port scan and a reference scan.
Please follow the on-screen instructions and animations closely for a smooth calibration process.
3. Prepare the sample
Remove the top 5 cm of your sample. Collect subsamples from at least seven locations, spaced no more than 80 cm apart, following a W-shaped pattern to ensure representativity. Sample to a depth of 20 – 30 cm. For larger silage clamps or bunkers, increase the number of subsamples accordingly.
Combine all subsamples in a bucket. Mix thoroughly and fill the rotator cup at least ¾ full, ensuring the bottom is completely covered.
Insert the filled cup into the rotator and start the rotator by pressing the button on the rotator.
4. Start the first scan
Open the Guide App and select the application that matches your sample type.
Start scanning by operating the spectrometer directly or via the Guide App on your phone. The app will indicate how many scans are required.
5. Repeat the scanning process
After each scan:
- Remove the cup from the rotator and dispose the sample.
- Mix the remaining subsamples in the bucket thoroughly.
- Refill the cup with a fresh portion of the mixed sample.
- Insert the cup into the rotator and start the rotation.
- Perform the scan.
Repeat until the required number of scans have been completed. The measurement result will be displayed in the Guide App.
FAQs
It is common to obtain slight variations in the analysis when measuring a sample multiple times. Natural products usually are not perfectly homogeneous and have an intrinsic variation in their composition. Such sample inhomogeneities are the most important source for variations. In that sense, our applications show variations within the precision of the analysis model.
If you are measuring a heterogeneous sample the variation in the results should be considered as an asset and not an error. It reveals the differences within your sample! To get a better assessment of your entire batch we recommend repeating measurements three times and average the results.
Our applications are only suited for the materials listed. However, we are continuously increasing our portfolio.
Please contact us and tell us what you need.
For feed analysis with trinamiX PAL Two it is mandatory to use the rotator in order to get accountable measurement results. The app will indicate when you need to attach the rotator on trinamix PAL Two.
Yes, the app will inform you that you need to use the rotator and guides you through the calibration process with the rotator attached.
Learn how to calibrate the PAL Two spectrometer with rotator
We impose quality requirements to the recorded spectral data to perform a valuable analysis. Whenever a measurement shows large spectral deviations from the expected form it is excluded from the analysis. In addition, samples for which one or more parameters lie outside our chemometric model also generate an outlier. This can mean that, for example, neither amino acids nor energy values can be determined.
To avoid measurement outliers, make sure you have chosen the correct application, and your sample stays in direct contact with the scan window of your spectrometer. It can also help to clean the scan window or to perform a recalibration.
Yes, you can. There are various ways, starting from building applications from scratch with new samples to the transfer of an existing database. Your applications will then be available alongside our standard applications via the app and web portal exclusively for you or shared with other customers as you prefer.
We are happy to talk this through with you. Please contact us.
You can scan while offline, but results will only be available once you’re back online. The spectra collected during offline use are cached on your phone. As soon as your device reconnects to the internet, the cached spectra will be uploaded, analyzed, and the results will be displayed automatically.
Biological samples are in general never perfectly homogenous. Therefore, it is crucial to collect representative samples, prepare them properly, and use the appropriate measurement method.
If you are analysing a larger quantity, it is vital that your sample is representative; this means the batch should be thoroughly mixed, and the sample should be taken from various areas. By that you ensure that the results are reliable.