Soybean Meal

Soybean meal is one of the major protein sources for livestock feed and is typically traded on the basis of protein content. Depending upon the processing at crushing the seed in the factory, removal of the hulls will increase the protein content; therefore, dehulled soybean meal should have higher protein content than non-dehulled soybean meal. It is, therefore, necessary to measure the fiber content in soybean meal to differentiate between dehulled and non-dehulled. Dehulled soybean meal normally contains maximum 3.5% crude fiber, while non-dehulled soybean meal contains more than 6% fiber and may reach 7%. Less fiber and ash will cause not only higher protein but also higher energy, lysine, methionine, and other amino acids. Soybean meal is considered as “gold standard” to which other protein sources are compared.