Effects of Soybean Meal Particle Size
Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of grinding corn
and soybean meal on phosphorus utilization in turkey poults. The corn-soybean
meal-based diets were formulated to contain 1.2 percent calcium and
calculated to contain 0.40 or 0.48 percent nonphytate phosphorus. Corn
and the commercial soybean meal were processed to different particles
sizes. In the first experiment, when the poults were fed the 0.40 percent
nonphytate phosphorus diet, phosphorus utilization was improved as corn
particle size was increased as measured by the incidence of rickets,
tibia ash and total phosphorus retention. In the second experiment,
when the higher level of nonphytate phosphorus was fed, lower levels
of rickets were observed. The researchers concluded that these studies
show that young poults can utilize phosphorus better from coarser ground
corn and soybean meal, especially when dietary phosphorus is low.
Charbeneau, R.A. and K.D. Roberson. 2005. Effect of corn and soybean particle size on phosphorus use in turkey poults. J. Applied Poultry Res. 13(2): 302-310.
