Forage is fed to livestock such as cattle, sheep and horses; it includes grasses, grains and legumes. The farmer grows forages during the spring and summer months, after harvest the forage is either preserved by sun drying e.g. hay or ensiled such as fermented maize silage.
Understanding the nutritional content of forage is important for both the farmer and feed supplier, as it will determine the amount and quality of feed required for the most cost effective ration. The forage quality is generally measured from the constituents, dry matter, protein & protein quality, fermentation quality, digestible fibre and the supply of energy, all of which can be measured with NIR.