The value of soybean oil meal in broiler rations.

In the spring of 1942, researchers at the University of Missouri reported the results of a two-year study undertaken to show that soybean meal could replace comparatively high priced meat scraps and dried milk in poultry rations. White Rocks and Barred Rock chicks were fed rations containing corn, wheat bran, alfalfa leaf meal, shorts, dried buttermilk, meat scraps, bone meal, salt and cod liver oil. An expeller-processed soybean oil meal containing 41% protein, 5% crude fat and 7% crude fiber replaced various levels of the traditional protein ingredients in chick diets. Over the two-year period, several different ration formulations were tested. They found that rations containing 25% soybean meal produced gains equal to the control rations when fed with 2% or more of an animal protein supplement. They reported that combinations of proteins from various sources supported higher gains and feed utilization. One of the test diets that produced the best gains (1171 grams at ten weeks) and feed efficiency (3.04 pounds of feed per pound of gain) contained 25% soybean meal and 2% meat scraps. The researchers concluded that the study’s results indicated that soybean meal could be included in poultry rations. (It is interesting to compare these results with commercial results in 2002 when broilers can reach 2200 grams in 42 days with a feed efficiency of 1.8. Our understanding of nutrition and breeding has had a major impact on the broiler industry. The discovery of vitamin B12 was one key that resulted in greater use of soybean meal by the poultryman.)

Irwin, M. Richard and H.L. Kempster. 1942. The value of soybean oil meal in broiler rations. University of Missouri, College of Agriculture, Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 441.