Cattle producers should weigh the costs and use limitations carefully to determine if feeding whole soybeans to cattle makes economic sense. SDSU Extension Beef Feedlot Management Specialist Warren Rusche says in some cases soybeans can be fed to cattle but normally other options make more sense.

He says if producers decide to use soybeans as cattle feed to be careful how they do it.

Rusche says soybeans may be a useful cattle feed if market conditions make it difficult for them to be sold through normal market channels

Rusche says before feeding soybeans to cattle, producers should check with SDSU Extension Beef Specialists or their nutritionists. He says producers need to be careful and not feed raw soybeans along with protein supplements containing urea as that could result in ammonia toxicity and cattle death.