The Chemical Composition of Soybean Hulls

The objective of this study was to examine the variation in chemical composition of soybean hulls. The goal was to develop regression equations characterizing the nutritive value of soybean hulls for use in swine diets. Soybean hull samples were collected from different processing plants across the U.S. and analyzed for crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), crude fiber (CF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), fat, ash, calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P). Thirty-eight samples were used to determine maximum, minimum, and mean values on a dry matter (DM) basis. Regression equations among the nutrients also were established. A high correlation was observed between CF and CP, with the CF predicting 94.7% of the variation in CP content (Y = -1.160x + 55.49; R2 = 0.95). Crude fiber also was highly correlated to ADF (Y = 1.256x + 0.612; R2 = 0.96); NDF (Y = 1.657x + 2.234; R2 = 0.97); and estimated DE (Y = -90.86x + 4819; R2 = 0.94). A high correlation also was observed between CP and estimated DE (Y = 74.79x + 521.9; R2 = 0.90). In summary, the chemical composition of soybean hulls can be highly variable; however, CF content can help explain much of the variation in CP, ADF, NDF, and estimated DE.



Barbosa, F.F. and co-workers. 2008. Variation in chemical composition of soybean hulls. J. Anim. Sci. 86:573/J. Dairy Sci. 91:573 (Abstract 697).