Definitions and Background

• A negative relationship is when as one factor increases another factor decreases.
• Defatted meal is a by-product of cooking soybeans where soy oil is removed leaving a low fat but high protein meal.
• Soil buffering is the ability of soil to absorb and store excessive amounts of water.
• Carbon management is the process of reducing the amount of carbon in soil by tilling or disturbing the soil more often.
• Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants convert light energy into chemical energy.
• Lysine: a basic amino acid which is a building block of most proteins. It is an essential nutrient in the diet of vertebrates.
• Denaturation is the loss of the structure of a protein.
• Maillard reaction: A reaction that occurs when amino acids react with sugars to form a variety of compounds.
• Gelatinisation is the process of heating a starch solution to a high temperature to break down the starch chains.
• Lipid peroxidation is the oxidation of lipids, which can lead to the formation of free amino acids.
• Rumen retention time refers to the amount of time that the food contents are stored in the rumen.
• Phytase is an enzyme that breaks down phytic acid into phosphate and amino acids.
• Carbohydrases are enzymes that break down carbohydrates into simple sugars.
• Proteases are enzymes that break down proteins into amino acids.
• The statutory declaration for feed labels is used to certify that the feed contents are suitable for livestock and can legally be brought to court if something is not shown on the label.
• Feed composition is the ratio of nutrients included the feed compared to the nutrients required by the animal.