Mobile Lab

The mobile laboratory uses sophisticated, portable or handheld equipment that can perform numerous on-site, real-time (or quick turnaround) analyses to provide Cooperative Extension Service specialists and agents with indicators that help them produce more complete and accurate recommendations. Additionally, the lab is equipped to properly collect and prepare samples for shipment to brick-and-mortar labs when needed. It is primarily used for producer education (farm demonstrations, field days, workshops, fairs and expos) and technical assistance.

Equipment & Purpose

Multiple Agriculture Fields Application

  • Microscope and stereo microscope with live viewing and image capturing cameras for potential analysis and demonstration for:
    • Soil
    • Plant health
    • Seed quality
    • Animal nutrition, reproduction*/**, and health*/**
  • pH/Ion Bench Meter & Handheld pH meter for analyzing acidity or alkalinity of substances on a 0 to 14 pH scale, ion concentration analysis (e.g., fluoride, sodium), and ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential), which serve vital roles in agriculture crop/livestock management and food science. This meter can help us track soil nutrient levels, track animal health, and distinguish food and water safety.
  • Scales and Pipettors: used in multiple analytical procedures and training purposes.
  • Monitors/TV/speakers/projectors for live demonstrations and presentations.

Water Quality

  • Multiparameter water meter measures 7 key parameters for agricultural water quality assurance: pH, Electroconductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Salinity, Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Pressure, Temperature.
  • Handheld pH meter: acidity and alkalinity on a 0 to 14 pH scale, temperature, chlorine, and ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential) levels.

Soil

  • Digital Soil Compaction Meter: measures resistance of soil to penetration (density and compaction level), which affects root/plant growth, water movement, and soil life.
  • Electronic Soil Lab: provides several indicators of soil fertility (nitrate nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, aluminum, sulfates, ammonia nitrogen, nitrite nitrogen, chlorides, ferric iron, calcium). It will be used for educational demonstrations only. This will not replace the soil test.
  • pH meter: Soil pH is a key measure of how acidic or basic soil is on a scale from 0 to 14, which affects nutrient absorption, soil microbes, and changes how minerals dissolve in water.
  • Soil Moisture Meter: measures soil moisture to determine crop irrigation/fertigation practices or analyze drought/water stress symptoms of crops.
  • Soil probes to collect soil samples.

Crop

Grain Moisture Tester for measuring the moisture content of numerous grain types and yield such as soybean, corn, barley, sorghum, wheat, oats, rye, sunflower, millet and canola/rapeseed.

Forage

  • Grass Shearer, Microwave/Air Fryer for herbage mass and dry matter determination
  • Rising Plate Meter for pasture height and estimate forage yield per acre
  • Hay Moisture Meter for measuring moisture content in hay bales
  • Hay probe for collecting samples

Livestock*/**

  • Mini Centrifuge for blood components separation
  • Blood Analyzer: chemistry panels, electrolytes, acid-base parameters, and immunoassays
  • Urine Analyzer: urobilinogen, bilirubin, ketone, blood, protein, nitrite, leukocytes, glucose, specific gravity, pH
  • Ultrasound for pregnancy detection and carcass evaluation
  • Pregnancy Detection Kit using blood samples
  • Semen Analyzer: sperm concentration, total motility, and progressive motility

* Activities related to animals in education events and farm demonstrations will be approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and conducted according to standard operating procedures to ensure animal welfare.

** Sample collections/analysis related to animals, including health and reproductive assessments, will be in accordance with the veterinarian with a VCPR (Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship). No diagnostic or treatment recommendations will be made by UADA/CES.

Food Quality

  • Portable milk analyzer: fat, protein, lactose, solids – not fat (SNF), density, water content, temperature, freezing point, salts, total solids
  • Milk brix/titratable acidity (TA) refractometer: measures milk lactose sugar and lactic acid
  • Brix refractometer: analyzes fruit % soluble solids (sugars) or brix
  • Multi-fruit brix/titratable acidity (TA) refractometer: measures fruit % soluble solids (sugars) or brix and TA (malic, citric, and/or tartaric acid)
  • Handheld pH meter: pH has important impacts on the quality and safety of foods. In terms of quality, pH can affect color hue, flavor, consistency, and shelf life. In terms of safety, foods are classified by their acidity and processed accordingly to ensure they do not pose a food safety risk.
  • Portable Meat pH Meter: pH level of meat affects its color, texture, juiciness, and shelf life.