The Feed and Fertilizer laboratory section of the KDA Laboratory provides analytical services to support the Pesticide and Fertilizer program.  Livestock feeds, pet foods, and pet treats are tested to ensure they contain the amounts nutrients indicated on their product labels.  These nutrients include protein, fat, fiber, moisture, non-protein nitrogen, salt, and Vitamin A.  Minerals, such as calcium and zinc, are also included.  Medicated livestock feeds are checked to see that the amount of medication present agrees with the labeling.  Medicated feeds can contain antibiotics or other types of drugs.  Additionally, samples of grain ingredients and finished products are screened for aflatoxin and deoxynivalenol (DON or vomitoxin).

Fertilizers are analyzed to determine whether they contain the declared amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potash, sulfur and any other components as indicated on the product label.  Agricultural liming materials are also analyzed to determine their Effective Calcium Carbonate Equivalent values.

The chemists and technicians working in the Feed and Fertilizer laboratory use official AOAC or other published methods to analyze samples and routinely utilize Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectroscopy, Liquid Chromatography with Ultraviolet and Fluorescence detection, and other instrumentation and equipment.  This laboratory also has the capability to test for the presence of melamine in pet foods and treats and heavy metals in fertilizers as needed.