Method of calculating a feed ration for a ruminant

A method of calculating a feed ration for a ruminant, the method comprising:

• obtaining samples of one or more forages and grains from available feed sources;
• determining ruminant feeding rates of the sampled one or more forages and grains;
• analyzing the one or more samples to determine a starting neutral detergent fiber (NDF) value and an ending NDF value after ruminal digestion, wherein analyzing the one or more samples comprises using one or more of near infrared (NIR) analysis, infrared reflectance spectroscopy, spectrophotometric methods, duodenal cannulas, in situ measurements, in vitro analysis or in vivo analysis;
• calculating a ruminal undigested NDF fraction for the one or more samples by dividing the ending NDF value by the starting NDF value, the ruminal undigested NDF fraction representing a percent remaining NDF fraction or a predicted percent remaining NDF fraction in the rumen after ruminal digestion;
• and
• calculating a feed ration using the ruminal undigested NDF fraction and feeding rates of the one or more analyzed samples, wherein the calculated feed ration comprises at least a fiber component calculated based on an amount of ruminal undigested NDF targeted for the rumen of the ruminant, the amount of ruminal undigested NDF targeted for the rumen comprising a sum of ruminal undigested NDF for each of the forages in the feed ration, the ruminal undigested NDF for each of the forages calculated by multiplying pounds of a forage in the ration by a percentage of NDF in the forage and by the ruminal undigested NDF fraction in the forage;
• wherein at least one of the steps of analyzing, calculating a ruminal undigested NDF fraction or calculating a feed ration is performed by a computer processor.