Carbohydrate Analysis

Where it helps?

• In production animals, fecal carbohydrate levels link diet formulation, ingredient quality, and enzyme use to digestibility and performance (ADG, FCR, uniformity).
• Identifies undigested carbohydrate fractions reaching the hindgut, potentially driving undesirable fermentation and microbiome imbalance.
• Supports optimization of fiber strategies, enzyme programs (e.g., xylanases, mannanases), and raw material selection.
• Provides evidence for gut health solutions improving carbohydrate digestion and nutrient utilization.
• Enables monitoring of digestive efficiency over time, especially when combined with VFA-L data.
• For feed additive companies, this analysis delivers a clear, mechanism-linked readout of enhanced carbohydrate breakdown and improved feed utilization.

How does it work?

Samples undergo a hydrolysis pre-step, where complex carbohydrates are broken down into measurable monosaccharides. This ensures accurate quantification of residual carbohydrate fractions.

We typically analyze feces or digesta (e.g., ileum/cecum/colon), depending on the objective:

• Feces: practical for overall digestibility assessment in field conditions.
• Digesta: provides compartment-specific resolution in controlled trials.

What do we measure?

After hydrolysis, we quantify key monosaccharides representing different carbohydrate sources:

• Xylose – indicator of hemicellulose (arabinoxylan) breakdown
• Arabinose – linked to non-starch polysaccharides and fiber complexity
• Mannose – reflects mannans and structural polysaccharides
• Galactose – associated with galactans and complex carbohydrates
• Glucose – represents starch and cellulose-derived fractions

Interpretation context (recommended)

• Elevated levels indicate incomplete digestion or suboptimal enzyme activity, leading to excess substrate for microbial fermentation.
• When combined with VFA-L data, results provide a complete picture of carbohydrate digestion vs. fermentation outcomes.

Typical use cases

• Enzyme validation: demonstrate efficacy of carbohydrases (e.g., xylanase, mannanase)
• Fiber strategy optimization: compare ingredient digestibility and fermentability
• Diet formulation trials: assess impact of raw material changes
• Gut health challenges: link undigested carbohydrates to dysbiosis and fermentation shifts
• Weaning and transitions: monitor digestive adaptation

Sample types

• Feces (routine monitoring, on-farm sampling)
• Digesta (ileum/cecum/colon) from controlled trials