The In Vitro Fermentation Model (IFM) is a diagnostic tool that simulates rumen fermentation and evaluates the nutritive value of total mixed rations (TMR) in terms of digestibility and end-products formation.

Using IFM technology, feed samples are incubated within a standardized rumen fluid and a buffer system to mimic natural rumen fermentation in an oxygen-free environment. IFM then measures gas production, identifies TMR inefficiencies and provides additional information on the nutritive value of the feed.
 
As digestion progresses, volumes of fermentation gases such as methane and carbon dioxide are also continuously monitored using an automated system.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the rumen, primarily methane and carbon dioxide, contribute up to 45 percent of the total carbon footprint associated with the production of a pound of milk or beef, according to a recent article published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Moreover the company’s researchers are now finding that ration composition and forage quality can significantly impact the volume of methane emitted as well as production efficiency.

The Carbon Trust, an organization that measures and certifies the environmental footprint of organizations, supply chains and products, recently verified that IFM is an effective tool for estimating farm-specific enteric methane emission from specific feeds, the company says.

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Feed samples are incubated at Alltech’s In Vitro Fermentation Model Lab in Brookings, South Dakota, using rumen fluid and a buffer system to mimic natural rumen fermentation in an oxygen-free environment. IFM measures gas production, identifies total mixed ration inefficiencies and provides additional information on the nutritive value of the feed. Photo courtesy of Alltech.