Two soybean research discoveries may greatly expand the use of specialty soybeans in fish, poultry and livestock rations. One was a surprise.

Schillinger Genetics, a familiar name to many Mid-Atlantic farmers, and Plant Sensory Systems have commercialized an Enhanced Nutrition (high-methionine) soybean variety — Navita 3553 — targeted for fish and poultry rations. The EN technology increases seed content of several essential amino acids.

Meal from this non-GMO product has higher metabolizable energy, plus increased levels of essential amino acids, especially methionine, explains Frank Turano, chief research officer of Plant Sensory Systems. Conventional soybeans are deficient in methionine. Methionine levels in this soybean meet the dietary requirements for fish and poultry — reducing supplementation needs and feed costs.

“We’re excited about the significant enhancement of key amino acids from the EN technology in our high-protein Navita soybeans,” adds John Schillinger, president and founder of Schillinger Genetics. Analyses for Schillinger Genetics, according to its website, suggest the 3553 variety has higher crude protein, lower neutral detergent fiber, lower acid detergent fiber, higher methionine, higher lysine and higher histidine levels than conventional mid-Group 3 soybeans.

Methionine is added to nearly all soy-based feeds, even swine and dairy rations, to meet dietary requirements, affirms Alexander Hristov, dairy nutritionist at Penn State University. “It’s the first limiting amino acid in lactating cattle,” he points out. “Lysine and histidine are the next two.”

One key, at this point, is whether nutritionally enhanced soybeans can also deliver significantly higher levels of those other amino acids and whether there’s a net benefit. That may require more research.

High-oleic beans kick up butterfat
Milk producers already know soybeans provide energy and protein to dairy rations. But recent Penn State University research by Hristov turned up a surprising effect of feeding extruded and roasted high-oleic soybeans — milk fat was bumped up 0.2% compared to conventional SBM.

With funding from a Pennsylvania Soybean Board checkoff grant, Hristov evaluated dairy ration performance of three soybean meal sources: conventional, high-linoleic extruded SBM; extruded Plenish (DuPont/Pioneer) high-oleic SBM; and whole, heated high-oleic soybeans. The study was done with extruded SBM versus conventional solvent extraction because more oil is retained through extrusion.

Benefits are only realized if the residual fat is in the soymeal, via extrusion or whole roasting, notes Hristov. “The mechanism we think is taking place is the higher level of oleic fatty acids in the Plenish high-oleic soybeans versus linoleic fatty acids in the conventional soybeans,” he explains, and a reduction in the already small level of trans fatty acids.

“That 0.2% bump in milkfat doesn’t sound like much. But add it to a 17% reduction in trans fatty acids in the milkfat. It’s quite significant.” There was no impact on milk volume or other components.

Bottom line: Fatter milk checks
A 0.2% butterfat bump doesn’t sound like much until you see its milk check effect. With butterfat values currently in the $2.50 to $2.70 per pound range — nearly a dollar more than protein — butterfat is where it’s at.

Butterfat has averaged $2.30 per pound over the past three years, says Hristov. A 0.2% increase for an 80-pound dairy herd could mean 35 cents per cwt when milk volume and other components are unchanged.