One thing we’ve all been focused on this season is the increasing cost of feed ingredients. Surprisingly, it is not just protein supplements that carry a high cost, but energy from feed-grade fats and oils does, too. Whether that fat is of animal origin, a manufactured source of rumen protected fat, whole oil seeds and oil seed products, or corn milling products, the cost of energy is high. But, if you consider the energy that oil contained in SoyPlus contributes to the diet, you’ll find it to be very favorably priced compared to other sources.
“This year we’ve watched the feed-grade fats and oils trade near historic highs, and we anticipate this trend to continue beyond our current crop year,” said Steven Johnson, Lead Soy Merchandiser for Landus, a farmer-owned cooperative based in Iowa. “Supplementary fat sources will continue to trade at values we aren’t used to seeing, driven by extreme growth in the renewable diesel space and a boost in restaurant usage following the reopening of the economy.”
When comparing feed ingredients, some folks fail to account for the value of the superior energy content of SoyPlus. Feed ingredients should be evaluated on their total nutrient profile, not just one or two nutrients. For an ingredient like SoyPlus, which contains about 6% oil, about 5% more oil than solvent extracted soybean meal products, that means SoyPlus has more metabolizable energy than solvent extracted products. Although the protein content of SoyPlus is slightly lower than some other bypass soy products, its superior energy content more than offsets that difference in cost per unit of protein when you consider all the nutrients SoyPlus delivers.
“With corn prices spiking, many nutritionists are reducing corn in dairy diets and other concentrated sources of energy are needed at fairer prices. In areas where high quality forage is a challenge to find this year, there’s even greater necessity for a compensating increase in supplemental energy from a trusted source,” said Dr. Tim Brown, SoyPlus Technical Director.
When you consider the whole nutrient package in this manner, the total value of nutrients delivered by SoyPlus allows you to meet the cows’ protein and energy requirements at a lower total cost than with other, individual sources of protein and energy.
To learn more about the total value of SoyPlus high bypass protein, or to get the latest updates on grain market conditions, visit LandusCooperative.com.
