# Glossary

From Nmin to VEM: the words you come across on a result, briefly explained.


## All terms

**Ammonium**: A form of mineral nitrogen in the soil. Plants can take it up directly. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/nitrogen/

**C/N ratio**: The ratio between carbon and nitrogen in the organic matter. It indicates how quickly nitrogen is released from the organic matter.

**Crude protein**: The total amount of protein in the feed. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-silage-analysis/

**Cut**: One mowing of the grass. The first cut is the first mowing of the year. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/services/feed-sample/

**Dry matter**: The part of a sample that remains once all the water has been removed. For feed and manure, the other values are often given per kilo of dry matter. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-silage-analysis/

**DVE**: Intestinal digestible protein: the protein from the feed that a cow can absorb in the intestine. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-silage-analysis/

**Fertiliser advice**: Advice on how much fertiliser a field needs and which types, based on a soil analysis. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**Field**: A piece of land with a single use, for example a pasture or arable field. We usually take one sample per field. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/taking-a-soil-sample/

**Leaching**: The washing away of nutrients, especially nitrate, with rainwater into deeper groundwater. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/nitrogen/

**Magnesium**: A nutrient that plants need in smaller amounts. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**Mineral nitrogen**: Nitrogen in the form of nitrate and ammonium. Plants can take it up directly. It is also called Nmin. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/nitrogen/

**Mixing**: Stirring the slurry in the pit so that the manure has the same composition throughout. This is needed for a reliable manure sample. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/sampling-manure/

**Nitrate**: A form of mineral nitrogen in the soil. It can leach into the groundwater after heavy rain. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/nitrogen/

**Nmin**: The mineral nitrogen in the soil: nitrate and ammonium together. It is measured in layers of the soil. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/nitrogen/

**OEB**: Rumen degradable protein balance: shows whether there is a surplus or shortage of protein in the rumen relative to the energy. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-silage-analysis/

**Organic matter**: The part of the soil that consists of plant residues and soil life. It holds water and nutrients. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**P-Al**: A measure of the phosphate reserve in the soil that becomes available in the longer term. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**P-CaCl2**: The phosphate in the soil that is directly available to the plant. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**pH**: The acidity of the soil or the water. Soil that is too acidic makes nutrients less available. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**Potassium**: A nutrient that is important for the growth and quality of the crop. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**Representative sample**: A sample that properly reflects the whole field, the whole pit or the whole silage clamp. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/taking-a-soil-sample/

**Silage corer**: A corer with which we take a sample from a silage clamp or bale, at several spots. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/services/feed-sample/

**Slurry**: Liquid manure, a mixture of dung and urine. It separates in the pit and must be mixed thoroughly before sampling. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/sampling-manure/

**Soil auger**: A hollow auger with which we take a small amount of soil from many spots in a field. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/taking-a-soil-sample/

**Sulphur**: A nutrient that plants need in smaller amounts, among other things for protein formation. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-soil-results/

**VEM**: Feed unit for milk: the energy value of feed for dairy cattle. More: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/reading-silage-analysis/


## From list to lab, without manual work

Every list, every field and every sample bag is in our own app, from the first phone call to the courier. As a result, less goes wrong, it takes fewer hours and more information goes to the laboratory with each sample.

- Call script with the questions from the protocol
- Walking route and zigzag across the field, with GPS
- Labels from the printer, every sample bag scanned twice
- Farmers' data in one secure place

[All about the app](https://monsternemer.nl/en/app/)

**Need a sample taken?** Request sampling. You will receive a quote in advance and a proposed time. [Request sampling](https://monsternemer.nl/en/request/)

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Source: https://monsternemer.nl/en/knowledge/glossary/