Soybean meal is a primary ingredient used to provide amino acids in swine diets. With expectations of an increased soybean crush in the Midwest and conversations surrounding the potential change in pricing due to the use of soybean oil in biodiesel, questions concerning the impact of increasing soybean meal in finishing diets have been raised. Researchers at Iowa State University have been evaluating the potential of over feeding soybean meal beyond dietary amino acid minimum requirements. Two studies were conducted to evaluate feeding these high SBM inclusions on pig health and performance.
In summary, these data showed that that feeding high soybean meal above amino acid requirements will increase nitrogen emissions and may alter carcass composition. Further, these high crude protein diets do not appear to change performance during periods of high heat stress. Although barn air quality and pig health were fine, these needed to be monitored if one pushes excessive soybean meal (crude protein) inclusion rates in grow-finish pigs.
