Checkoff Soybean Research Projects:
The United Soybean Board supports a project that summarizes all on-going checkoff-funded research.  A listing of soybean meal, soybean hull and soy protein utilization research projects underway on October 1, 2011 is provided below.  A detailed list of all 740 soybean research projects (Production, Utilization, Composition and Educational Projects) supported in part by soybean growers through their soybean checkoff program can be found at www.soybeancheckoffresearch.org.

The projects listed below have objectives to expand soybean meal/protein use in livestock, poultry and aquaculture diets.  This listing does not include the fifty research projects that are directed at improving the composition of the soybean to better meeting the needs of the user of soybeans and soybean protein.

The following have objectives to expand soybean meal/protein use in livestock, poultry and aquaculture diets.  This listing does not include the fifty research projects that are directed at improving the composition of the soybean to better meet the needs of the user of soybeans and soybean protein.

Aquaculture
Basic research involving rainbow trout growth and nutrition and commercial feeding trials involving rainbow trout and cobia utilizing aquabeans developed by Schillinger Genetics; John Schillinger (Schillinger Genetics, West Des Moines, IA.).  This project involves a more in-depth continuation of research involved in the clarifying of the nutritional role of key soybean compositional factors on rainbow trout growth and nutrition including protein and amino acid digestibility.  Compositional factors of soybeans to be studied include protein, amino acid profile, variants in sugar profile (including ultra low raffinose-stachyose), ultra low trypsin inhibitor content and saponins.

The specific objective is to document the biologic and economic value of new unique soybean varieties with altered soybean composition as important feed ingredients in aquaculture. The ultimate objective is to redesign soybean composition to replace fish meal in aqua diets.  These studies will significantly advance the understanding of how soybeans could play a major role in feeding the various aqua species.

Sensory evaluation analysis of yellow perch fillets; Andrea Liceage (Purdue University, West Fayette, IN.).  The objectives of this research study is to determine if a SBM diet fed to yellow perch produces any difference in the perceived overall sensory changes in the fish compared to those consuming a conventional (wild) diet.

Soy-in-aquaculture research; John Campen (Direct/Managed, Smith Bucklin, Chesterfield, MO.).   This research project supports a coordinated program of the United Soybean Board and the United States Soybean Export Council, designed to remove the barriers to the use of soybean meal and soy protein concentrate in diets fed to aquaculture species.

Use of soy-based products in practical diets for white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) and California yellowtail (Seriola lalandi); Mark Drawbridge (Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute San Diego, CA.); (Other Cooperators include Michael Cremer (USB/ASA Aquaculture Technical Director), Tim O’Keefe (ASA Aquafeed Consultant), Allen Davis (Auburn University), Jesse Trushenski (Southern Illinois University), Mark Okihiro (California Department of Fish and Game) and John Campen (Project Manager, Smith Bucklin and Associates).  The ultimate goal of the research project is to verify and optimize the use of soy-based diets for white seabass and California yellowtail.  This research involves using both soy protein products and soy lipids to replace fish meal and oil in diets for these species.  The researchers will also evaluate the economics of the soy-based diets compared to existing commercial diets.

Aquaculture program; Michael L. Brown (South Dakota State University). This funding is to develop an aquaculture research program at South Dakota State University.

Poultry
Dietary energy utilization of soybean meal originating from varieties having altered sugar composition fed to broiler chickens; William Dozier (Auburn University). This research will determine if soybean meal having lower stachyose and raffinose composition translates to detectable improvements in ME and caloric conversion over conventional soybean meal.  Other measurements include broiler chick performance, feed conversion, carcass yield, breast yield and food pad lesions.

Feeding value of expeller soybean meal for broilers; P.R. Ferket and Charles Stark (North Carolina State University). The researchers will determine the nutritional energy value and protein digestibility of expeller soybean meal for poultry and investigate the effects of dietary inclusion of expeller soybean meal on manufactured feed quality and broiler growth performance.

Further evaluations of reduced oligosaccharide soybean meal in poultry; Carl Parsons (University of Illinois). It is proposed to perform amino acid analysis on the excreta samples University of Illinois collected from the 40 roosters in the previous study so that digestibility of amino acids can be calculated.  This would permit obtaining a valuable set of data for very minimal cost since the animal feeding, excreta collection and excreta processing have already been completed.

Improving turkey and broiler performance using soybean meal with low oligosaccharide content; Sally Noll (University of Minnesota). This research is determining the effect of SBM with reduced oligosaccharide content on turkey and broiler live performance and carcass traits; litter/manure characteristics and foot pad quality; and gut characteristics and microbial populations.