Why is soybean quality important?
The levels of protein and oil in soybeans determine how much soybean meal can be made and how much soybean oil can be extracted from a bushel of soybeans. Thus, protein and oil has a direct impact on the value of soybeans when they are processed. Amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are important because they are fundamentally what livestock feeders are buying when they purchase soybean meal – most livestock rations are balanced on the basis of amino acids, not protein. Fatty acids levels help determine the quality of the oil that is extracted from soybeans and what type of processing might be necessary to make the final consumer product.
