Livestock producers may be looking for alternative feed ingredients with the lack of DDGs with some ethanol plants cutting production. South Dakota Soybean Processors has been seeing an increase in interest in both soybean meal and hulls. Merchandiser Tim Boldt says they’re getting the most interest from cattle operations, which is understandable when comparing the price to DDGs.
He says soybean meal is 46-percent protein as fed compared to DDGs which are 25% to 32% protein, so it is a good alternative in a cattle ration from a nutritional standpoint.
Boldt says they have good supplies of both soybean meal and hulls available daily at the Volga plant and producers can call to book if they are interested.
Bunk management with soybean meal varies from DDGs because it is only 12-percent moisture verses up to 50-percent moisture levels in DDGs, so it will take some management changes.
