Hog Producers Are Watching Soybean Digestibility: U.S. Ranks First
As farmers race for higher yields many are also reaching for a competitive edge. In the U.S., soybeans might be more desirable than foreign competitors based on nutrition and quality, according to research by the University of Illinois.
Hog producers are watching soybean quality and putting their money where that quality is. Illinois research examined the five largest soybean meal producers in the world: Argentina, Brazil, China, India and the U.S. Pigs were fed diets containing the 24 soybean meal sources to compare the nutrition composition and amino acid digestibility.
“Our data indicates that the amount of digestible protein and amino acids was greater in soybean meal from the United States, India, and Brazil than in soybean meal from Argentina or China," says Hans H. Stein, University of Illinois professor of nutrition.
Brazil and India have the greatest concentration of crude protein and amino acids, while the U.S. contains the ideal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids.
The study reaffirms the U.S. Soybean Export Council’s (USSEC) strategy for building a preference for U.S. soybeans globally, says Jim Miller USSEC chairman.
"U.S farmers have always believed that our product is very consistent, and Dr. Stein's study proves that soybean meal from the U.S. has less variability in both composition and digestibility,” he adds.
Since soybean meal can be accessed and imported from any country in the world, a competitive advantage such as ideal digestibility could help U.S. soybean growers capture more of the global market.
