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The U.S.D.A. is estimating world soybean production in the 2016/2017 market year will be 333.414 million metric tons. The United States estimate is 111.5 million metric tons, or 4,060 million bushels. Three countries, Brazil, Argentina and the U.S., are projected to produce about 82% of the world’s total soybeans.

World soybean meal use is closely related to the country’s livestock and poultry enterprises. China, European Union, U.S. and Brazil account for about 60% of the world’s use of soybean meal; with the remaining 40% spread between numerous countries with commercial livestock and poultry operations.

An Over Processing Oilseed Protein experiment was conducted to determine the effects of over-processing of soybean meal (SBM) and 00-rapeseed meal (RSM) on growing pig performance. The SBM and RSM were processed by secondary toasting (at 95°C for 30 min) in the presence of lignosulfonate, resulting in over-processed SBM (pSBM) and over-processed RSM (pRSM) as models for over-processed protein sources. Fifty-four growing pigs were allotted to six dietary treatments. Four of the diets contained SBM, pSBM, RSM, or pRSM as the sole protein source. The remaining two dietary treatments contained pSBM or pRSM and were supplemented with crystalline amino acids to the same standardized ileal digestible amino acids levels as the SBM or RSM diet. Pigs were slaughtered at 40 kg, and carcasses analyzed.

Diet type, comprising effects of processing and supplementing crystalline amino acids affected (P ‹ 0.05) the G:F and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of the crude protein source. Processing reduced G:F from 0.56 to 0.38 for SBM and 0.49 to 0.40 for RSM, whereas supplementing crystalline amino acids increased G:F to the level of the SBM and RSM diets. Processing reduced the SID of crude protein from 87.2% to 69.2% for SBM and 71.0% to 52.2% for RSM. Over-processing of the protein source also significantly reduced (P ‹ 0.05) the weight of several organs, and supplementing crystalline amino acids restored organ weight. The take home message of this study is that over-processing of the protein ingredient direct affects the amino acid availability of the protein source and, therefore, impacts pig performance.

The exposure of pigs to heat stress impairs the small intestine digestive and absorptive capacities affecting in turn the AA digestibilities. Two seven-day experiments were conducted with cannulated pigs to study the effect of heat stress on both the apparent (AID) and the standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of amino acids in pigs fed a wheat-SBM diet. A thermometer was placed inside the ileal lumen of all pigs to register the temperature at 15 min intervals. After recovery from surgery, all pigs were adapted to the diet and trained to consume the same amount of feed twice a day for seven days under thermal neutral conditions (22 ± 2°C). Following, the pigs were divided into two groups (four pigs each); one was kept under thermal neutral conditions and the other group was exposed to natural heat stress (24 to 45°C) for seven days. Then the ambient temperature conditions of the two groups were switched. Ileal digesta was continuously collected during 12 hours on day seven of each period. The results indicated that the AID of arginine and histidine was lower in the heat stressed pigs, and the SID of arginine and histidine, as well as leucine, was also lower in heat stressed pigs. Neither the AID nor the SID of the remaining essential amino acids was affected by heat stress. These data show that ileal temperature increases in heat stressed pigs and that the digestibilities of essential amino acids are differentially affected in pigs exposed to natural heat stress conditions. The researchers indicated that special attention should be given to arginine and histidine when formulating diets for growing pigs under heat stress conditions.

A Digestibility of Phosphorus and Calcium in Pig Diets experiment was conducted to determine if the area in which soybeans are grown influences the concentration of phosphorus (P), phytate, and macro- and micro-minerals in the soybean meal (SBM) produced from the beans and, therefore, also influences the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and the standardized total tract digestibility (STTD) of P in SBM. The second objective was to test whether including microbial phytase in the diet will increase the ATTD and STTD of P in SBM regardless of where the beans were grown.

Twenty sources of SBM were procured from crushing facilities located in different regions of the United States that were separated into three zones: 1) the northern growing area (Michigan, Minnesota, and South Dakota), 2) the eastern growing area (Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio), and 3) the western growing area (Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska). For each source of SBM, two diets based on cornstarch and SBM were formulated; one of these diets contained no microbial phytase and the other diet contained 500 units/kg of microbial phytase. Two hundred growing barrows weighing about 16.9kg were individually placed in metabolism crates and allotted to a randomized complete block design with 40 diets and five replicate pigs per treatment. Feces were collected for four days after a four-day adaptation period using the marker-to-marker procedure.

Results indicated that there were no differences in concentration of Ca, P, phytate, and macro- and micro-minerals among SBM from the different zones. However, there was a tendency (P = 0.055) for an increase in concentration of nonphytate P in SBM from the western growing area (0.25%) compared with SBM from the northern growing area (0.23%) and the eastern growing area (0.23%). There were no differences in feed intake, absorbed P, ATTD of P, STTD of P, Ca intake, Ca output, or ATTD of Ca for pigs fed SBM from the three zones. However, there was a tendency (P = 0.066) for an increase in P intake and P output from pigs fed SBM from the western growing area compared with pigs fed SBM from the northern growing area. There was an increase (P ‹ 0.05) in absorbed P, ATTD and STTD of P, and ATTD of Ca when microbial phytase was included in the diets, however, the quantity of P and Ca excreted in the feces decreased (P ‹ 0.001) when microbial phytase was included in the feed formulation. In summary, this study showed no differences in ATTD and STTD of P exist among SBM produced in different areas of the United States, and microbial phytase will increase the digestibility of P in SBM.

Canola meal is a popular protein ingredient for dairy since the lower protein content (37-38%) and higher fiber content (10-11%) of canola meal compared to soybean meal (44-48% protein, 3-7% fiber) limits its use in swine and turkey rations. Research at the University of Illinois has evaluated a new high-protein canola meal (ProPound) that contains 44% crude protein. In growing/finishing swine studies they found the new high-protein canola  supported pig performance equal to the soybean meal control treatment. A Feed Management article discuss feed formulation adjustments needed since this new source of canola meal contains higher levels of methionine, calcium and phosphorus, and lower levels of metabolizable energy compared to commercial soybean meal sources. The general conclusion developed in the article was that this new source of high protein canola meal expands the protein ingredients available to feed formulators. Once commercially available, this new protein ingredient will compete with other feed ingredients based on its composition, price and availability.

The objective of this Utilization of High-Oleic Soybeans study was to investigate the effect of three soybean sources differing in fatty acid profile and processing method on productivity and milk composition in lactating dairy cows. The soybean sources were: 1) an extruded conventional soybean meal (SBM; 48% CP and 8.7% ether extract; 22% oleic acid), 2) an extruded Plenish® (DuPont Pioneer, Johnston, IA) high-oleic acid variety SBM (51.4% and 8.4%, respectively; 75% oleic acid), and 3) whole, heated Plenish® soybeans (40.0% and 20.2%, respectively). The study involved 15 Holstein cows in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design experiment with three 28-d periods. The inclusion rate of the three soybean sources in the diet was (all data are on DM basis): 17.1, 17.1, and 7.4%, diets CESBM, PESBM, and WHPSB, respectively, providing 1.4 to 1.5% soybean oil. The rest of the dietary ingredients were: corn silage, 41%; alfalfa haylage, 16%; grass hay/straw mix, 4%; ground corn grain, 10%; cottonseed hulls, 4%; molasses, 4.9%; and a mineral/vitamin premix, 3%. The WHPSB diet also contained 9.7% solvent-extracted SBM. The diets had similar content of CP (17.0 and 17.6%), NDF (31.0 and 32.0%), ether extract (3.8 and 4.0%), and NEl (1.53 and 1.54 Mcal/kg).

The results indicated, compared with control extruded SBM diet, the Plenish® diets tended to increase (P = 0.09) DMI (27.1, 27.8, and 27.8 kg/d, CESBM, PESBM, and WHPSB, respectively Milk yield was not affected by treatment (average of 42.2 kg/d; SEM = 1.41). The Plenish® diets increased (P ‹ 0.01) milk fat content (3.55, 3.74, and 3.76%, respectively). Feed efficiency was decreased (P ‹ 0.001) by the Plenish® diets, compared with CESBM (1.50 and 1.51 vs. 1.57 kg/kg, respectively). Diets had a marked effect on milk fatty acid profile; the Plenish® diets increased (P ‹ 0.01) mono-unsaturated and cis-9 18:1 and decreased (P ‹ 0.01) poly-unsaturated, total trans-, and conjugated linoleic fatty acids concentrations in milk fat. The researchers concluded that in this study the Plenish® soybean treatments compared with conventional extruded SBM had no effect on milk yield, increased milk fat concentration, decreased feed efficiency, and modified milk fatty acid profile in a manner expected from the greater concentration of oleic acid in Plenish® soybean oil.

The effect of genetically modified (GM) feed components comprising soybean meal and corn on the performance indices (reproduction, survival rate, growth, egg production, relative weight of chosen internal organs, and basic chemical composition of breast muscle and egg yolk) of Japanese quails was investigated during a 10-generation trial. A total number of 8,438 healthy quail chicks were used in the course of the trial. In each generation, birds were maintained in three experimental groups differing in the main feed components: 1) GM soybean (Roundup Ready) and non-GM corn, 2) GM corn (MON810) and non-GM soybean, and 3) non-GM soybean and corn.

The research group found the different feeds used in this ten-generation experiment did not influence any of the biological hatch indices, survival rate, or body weight of young or adult quails. With regard to egg-laying performance, the GM corn group showed a better laying percentage and a higher egg mass production compared to the other groups; the GM soybean group showed reduced average egg mass compared to the other groups, whereas the overall egg production level was the same as in the control group. Results showed a higher relative weight of breast muscle and gizzard in birds fed GM corn compared to the control group, whereas live body weight and the relative weights of liver and heart were not different among groups. Meat from the GM soybean group showed higher protein and lower fat levels compared to the control group. The chemical composition of egg yolk in the experimental groups did not differ from the control group. The researchers concluded that even though some differences were found among the feeding groups, none could be judged as a negative influence of GM corn or GM soybean in feed fed the Japanese quail over the ten generations. (Note: This is another study demonstrating the safety of GM corn and soybeans).