Соя-шрот повышает рентабельность животноводства за счет аминокислот и растворимой клетчатки

Soybean meal delivers more than protein in beef and dairy diets Nutritionists highlight amino acids, digestible fiber and ingredient consistency as key drivers of cattle performance and profitability Soybean meal has long been recognized as a dependable protein source for cattle. From supporting rumen function and supplying essential amino acids to providing consistent nutrient composition and digestible fiber, soybean meal remains a versatile ingredient for both beef and dairy rations. Three nutrition experts recently discussed why producers should evaluate soybean meal based on its overall nutritional package rather than crude protein. During the discussion, a common theme emerged: understanding ingredient quality and consistency can improve animal performance while strengthening profitability. Thomas D'Alfonso, PhD, Worldwide Director of Animal Nutrition at the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), said nutritionists should begin by looking beyond traditional protein measurements. "We don't actually measure crude protein," D'Alfonso explained. "We actually measure nitrogen. As important and relevant as nitrogen is to nutrition, it's not describing protein." That distinction matters because crude protein alone does not reflect how effectively cattle utilize nutrients. Instead, nutritionists increasingly evaluate amino acid composition, digestibility and the amount of metabolizable protein ultimately available to the animal. "We need to look beyond crude protein and really look at the quality of the amino acids and their digestibility and the metabolizable portions," he said. Looking beyond crude protein Although crude protein has historically been a common benchmark for feed ingredients, today's ration formulation places greater emphasis on supplying nutrients that directly support production. For ruminants, that means balancing rumen degradable protein (RDP), which feeds rumen microbes, with rumen undegradable protein (RUP), which bypasses the rumen and supplies amino acids in the small intestine. Adam Schroeder, consulting nutritionist with Huber DeKalb Feed, said soybean meal occupies a valuable position because it naturally contributes to both protein fractions while also providing an economical source of key amino acids. "Both RDP and RUP are requirements of growing cattle," Schroeder said. “Soybean meal is unique in that it is able to supply us with both, and maybe even more importantly from my perspective, is when we look at lysine and methionine requirements of growing cattle.” He noted that lysine, in particular, often limits growth in corn-based diets. Soybean meal helps address that challenge without relying as heavily on more expensive alternatives. "Soybean meal plays a really important role in supplementing necessary lysine for growing cattle in a relatively low-cost fashion," he said. The ability to supply essential amino acids economically can help nutritionists formulate diets that support growth while maintaining feed efficiency and controlling overall feed costs. Dairy cows reveal how well a diet is working While beef cattle performance is evaluated through growth and feed efficiency, dairy producers receive daily feedback through milk production and milk components. Loren Daentl, dairy nutritionist with Insight FS, said milk provides nutritionists with a continual assessment of how effectively cows are utilizing dietary nitrogen. "The cows will tell us exactly how they're metabolizing those nutrients," Daentl said. By combining rumen-available protein with rumen bypass protein from soybean products, nutritionists can fine-tune diets to better match the cow's requirements throughout lactation. Daentl explained that advances in amino acid nutrition have dramatically improved protein efficiency compared with previous decades. Rather than simply increasing crude protein concentrations, today's formulations focus on delivering metabolizable protein and balancing individual amino acids. That approach allows high-producing dairy cows to achieve exceptional milk production while consuming diets containing less crude protein than was once considered necessary. According to Daentl, the amino acid profile supplied by soybean products supports microbial protein production in the rumen while helping cows meet the demands of peak milk production. Residual oil contributes additional energy Protein is only one part of soybean meal's nutritional package. D'Alfonso said the residual oil remaining after processing contributes valuable dietary energy while supporting rumen function. "Fat is probably the biggest source of direct energy that's available to all species, and the fat quality is important when it comes to rumen function, metabolism and production,” he said. “Not just the quantity of energy, but the quality of fat in the diet is also very important." He added that U.S. soybean meal offers producers a consistent bundle of nutrients that includes protein, oil and fiber, making it important to evaluate the complete ingredient rather than any single nutrient. Consistency becomes especially valuable when nutritionists formulate diets over extended periods or manage multiple production systems that depend on predictable nutrient delivery. Soybean hulls provide digestible fiber Another component often overlooked is soybean hulls. Although commonly categorized as a fiber source, soybean hulls differ substantially from traditional forage fiber because of their high digestibility. D'Alfonso described soybean hulls as "very fermentable," making them an effective source of energy for ruminants. Schroeder said digestible fiber plays an especially important role in growing beef cattle on a high forage diet. When producers add starch to increase dietary energy, they can unintentionally alter rumen microbial populations responsible for fiber digestion. That shift may reduce forage utilization and overall digestive efficiency. “If we try to supplement energy in the form of starch, we can get what's called a negative associative effect,” he said. “The bacteria in the rumen that break down starch are very different than the ones that break down fiber, impacting digestibility of the forage component.” Soybean hulls offer an alternative. Their soluble fiber is fermented into energy while avoiding negative associative effect linked with supplemental starch. As a result, producers can maintain forage digestibility while still providing enough energy to achieve desired rates of gain. Schroeder said soybean hulls have become an important ingredient in many backgrounding and growing programs because they help maximize forage utilization without sacrificing animal performance. Dairy producers can improve milk components Digestible fiber offers additional advantages in dairy production. Daentl explained that different carbohydrate sources influence milk composition differently. "When we feed corn to a dairy cow, she digests that and makes more fluid milk, but when we feed digestible fiber to a dairy cow, she actually makes more butter fat," he said. Increasing digestible fiber through ingredients such as soybean hulls can therefore increase butterfat production, creating additional value from each pound of milk produced. As milk pricing increasingly rewards component production rather than simply fluid milk volume, nutritionists continue looking for ingredients that improve both production and profitability. Soybean hulls can contribute to that objective by supporting rumen fermentation and encouraging greater butterfat production. Consistency reduces nutritional risk Consistency repeatedly emerged as one of soybean meal's greatest strengths. Schroeder said maintaining consistent nutrient composition from one delivery to the next allows cattle to consume diets with fewer nutritional disruptions. One of the biggest challenges facing feedlot nutritionists today is variability among many common feed ingredients, particularly coproducts produced through different processing methods. Variability forces nutritionists to continually adjust formulations and increases uncertainty surrounding nutrient supply. “If we can get big intakes on finishing cattle, we're going to have big gains. The best way to get big intake is feed consistency from day to day,” he explained. “The ration components need to stay exact the same from day to day, allowing cattle to never have a bad day. Soybean meal definitely has a unique fit because it’s a consistent product that can help drive consistent intake, even across suppliers and geographic regions. That predictability supports stable feed intake, which ultimately supports animal performance.” Looking beyond ingredient price Feed ingredients are often compared based on cost per ton or cost per unit of protein. However, Schroeder encouraged beef producers to take a broader view. "I would challenge everybody to do the math from a cost of gain perspective," he said. Evaluating only ingredient cost can overlook the performance advantages that accompany improved nutrient utilization, consistent intake and balanced amino acid nutrition. When nutritionists consider the entire production system rather than individual ingredient prices, soybean meal delivers value. Daentl offered a similar perspective for dairy producers. In addition to nutritional consistency, soybean meal provides confidence for producers using risk management tools to secure future feed supplies. “Cows are not like people – we would get tired of eating a cheeseburger every single day, seven days a week, but cows want the exact same meal day after day and soybean meal delivers that consistency,” he said. Because the product remains consistent over time, dairy producers can hedge soybean meal purchases knowing they will receive a predictable ingredient months later, making long-term margin management more reliable. The animal remains the best indicator As nutrition models become increasingly sophisticated, Daentl reminded producers not to overlook the animals themselves. "The cows are always going to tell you what they need," he said. Monitoring milk yield, butterfat levels and milk composition provides continual feedback about whether nutritional programs are meeting production goals. Similarly, feedlot performance, feed intake and average daily gain provide valuable indicators of how effectively diets are supporting growth. Schroeder again encouraged producers to do the math on a cost of gain basis because it might change your perspective on protein, fiber and energy sources. For D'Alfonso, the discussion reinforced three themes: profitability, nutritional understanding and ingredient consistency. He said nutritionists should focus not only on least-cost formulation, but also on animal performance and confidence in ingredient quality. When feed ingredients consistently deliver expected nutrient profiles, nutritionists can formulate diets with greater precision and potentially reduce the safety margins often required for more variable ingredients. Together, those factors help explain why soybean meal continues to play an important role in modern beef and dairy nutrition. Rather than serving solely as a protein supplement, it contributes amino acids, digestible fiber, energy and formulation consistency that support both animal performance and producer profitability.