Improved Productivity & Profitabilty – Not Limited to Broilers

Dr. Dave Albin

The grains and oilseeds that we work with to produce meat, milk, and eggs contain nutrients and energy, and the key is to convert these ingredients into nutrient-dense, animal foods as efficiently as possible. The methods that make it easier for the animals to do this is, therefore, critical. Based on availability, price, and comfort level, soybeans and corn are used nearly everywhere to supply nutrients. But is there a better way for you to do this? Are you relying on the commodities – ground corn and solvent-extracted soybean meal – because that’s what you’ve always done?

High-shear dry extrusion provides an alternative mechanical process to these commodities. Using friction as the source of heat, and with decades of animal research to refine the process, high-shear dry extruded/mechanically pressed (known as the ExPress® process from Insta-Pro) soy meal provides more energy, and exhibits higher amino acid digestibility, than solvent-extracted soybean meal. The main benefit of switching to this superior version of soy meal is that additional sources of energy, such as the often-expensive fats and oils, can nearly always be eliminated from many diet formulations. Often, this provides the same amount of energy in the diet, while lowering total diet costs. It’s almost like getting fat for free.

Another benefit of high-shear dry extrusion is the creation of more-useful types of protein. For example, rumen by-pass protein, an important consideration in all dairy diet formulations, is both created by dry extrusion, and remains highly digestible to the dairy animal, as higher amounts are made during extrusion. The result is that the animal can use more and more of the dietary protein, and this often supports increased production, while simplifying the diet and reducing total diet costs. Again, many benefits from a single, better-quality ingredient mean that fewer total ingredients are needed in the diet.

More recently, a high-shear dry extruded corn process has been developed, and as with soy, novel properties can be realized simply by choosing an alternative processing method for this global commodity. With high-shear dry extrusion, corn starch is 90%+ gelatinized, which means that it is highly accessible when fed. This is important for all species. For example, high-shear dry extruded corn is easily utilized by rumen microbes – a little can work to stimulate rumen microbial protein, which can provide more of the protein for the ruminant animal. Often, this means fewer dietary sources of protein are needed – the ruminant is, in effect, taking less-expensive starch ingredients, like corn, and getting the animal to make more of its own protein, which is an expensive dietary component.

In broilers, high-shear dry extruded corn was recently shown to boost feed intake, especially important during the starter phase, in order to get the birds off to a good start. Exciting new information indicates that two high-quality ingredients – ExPress® soy meal and high-shear dry extruded corn - used together can boost feed intake and performance beyond the gains coming from the use of either ingredient individually. Therefore, multiple options abound – pick any of these two ingredients to start with and

add the second later if desired and necessary – for supplying more nutrients and enhancing performance and productivity.

Let’s be frank here – grinding corn and bathing soybeans in hexane to remove all the oil are a bit dated and comes from a time when more and more volume was all that mattered. Look to stand out with quality processes that have been proven to unlock more nutrients from the corn and soybeans you’re already using to produce animal foods.

Speak with us for more information.