THE ANIMAL NUTRITION LABORATORY IN THE ANIMAL AND RANGE SCIENCE DEPARTMENT AT NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY PLAYS A PIVITOL ROLE IN CUTTING EDGE LIVESTOCK NUTRITION RESEARCH INVOLVING THE INVESTIGATION OF NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY, NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT OF STRESSED CALVES, AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE BEEF COW IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING HANDS ON EXPERIENCE TO TRAIN GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN RESEARCH METHODS AND PROVIDE FEED AND FORAGE ANALYSIS SERVICES TO NEW MEXICO LIVESTOCK PRODUCERS. MOST COMMONLY COLLECTED SAMPLES REQUIRING FAT ANALYSIS ARE LIVESTOCK FEED AND FORAGE SAMPLES; HOWEVER, WITH OUR CURRENT FAT ANALYSIS EQUIPMENT, ALL SAMPLES REQUIRING FAT ANALYSIS ARE SENT TO EXTERNAL LABORATORIES AS THE AGE AND DISREPAIR OF THE EQUIPMENT MAKES OPERATION DANGEROUS AND RESULTS UNRELIABLE. THE IMPACT OF A NEW ANKOM XT-15 SOLVENT EXTRACTION MACHINE AT NMSU DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL AND RANGE SCIENCES WILL GREATLY AID IN THE PRODUCTION OF PRECISE AND ACCURATE DATA ANDTRAINING OF STUDENTS IN THE FIELD OF ANIMAL SCIENCE. AN INCREASE IN DATA GENERATION WILL INCREASE PUBLICATION PRODUCTIVITY AND MAKE US MORE COMPETITIVE FOR GRANT FUNDING IN THE FUTURE AND EXPAND OUR CAPABILITIES TO ADOPT AND/OR DEVELOP NEW ASSAYS.