Investigation Units

Agri-Food Sciences

Research Center in Animal Nutrition (CINA, for its acronym in Spanish)

It generates knowledge about available food resources and their use in sustainable systems. Besides, it supports the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG, for its acronym in Spanish) in raw materials quality and animal feeding, and promotes the implementation of appropriate technologies in the communities interested to improve the productive performance of their animals.

Objectives

  • To perform the necessary analysis for the official assurance of the quality and safety of animal feeding, premixes and raw materials that are manufactured, imported, exported, or distributed in the national territory, comparing against registration label.
  • To develop the regulations in animal feeding together with MAG.
  • To contribute to train animal food plant personnel in good manufacturing practices and food safety.
  • To improve customer satisfaction through quality services.
  • To contribute to train people involved in the field of animal production.
  • To strengthen research and knowledge transference to the national and regional livestock sector.
  • To provide livestock sector with the food analysis required for their own needs or for national and international legislation.

Main functions

  • To contribute to the improvement of animal production through the feeding of animal species of national interest.
  • To produce knowledge about available food resources and their use in sustainable systems.
  • To cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) in the quality control of raw materials and animal feeding used in the country.
  • To collaborate with the training of specialists in animal nutrition together with the School of Zootechnics in order to improve animal nutrition in our country.

Services

Remunerated

  • Project ED-428 “Service of analysis and quality control of animal feed, to the private company of Costa Rica and Central America” which include sale of analysis to individuals.

Non Remunerated

  • Project ED-427 “Official quality control of animal feeding”. Agreement between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) and the University of Costa Rica (UCR) for the establishment of a quality control laboratory.