Relative value of solvent and expeller soybean meal for lactating dairy cows

Nitrogen solubility and enzymatic and rumen in vitro degradabilities indicated protein from expeller soybean meal was more resistant to ruminal degradation than that from solvent soybean meal. This was confirmed in Trial 1 by reduced rumen ammonia and branched-chain volatile fatty acids, and by 64% more supplemental protein escaping the rumen when cows were fed expeller soybean meal. In Trial 2, rations supplemented with either solvent or expeller soybean meal, averaging 16.4% protein, were fed to 12 cows in a crossover study. Production averaged 35.3 kg/d but was not influenced by diet. A small but significant improvement in milk to feed ratio occurred with expeller soybean meal. In Trial 3, four sources of protein were fed to 20 cows in a 4 X 4 Latin square: 6.3% solvent, 4.1% expeller (plus .3% urea), 10.0% solvent, or 6.6% expeller soybean meal. Production of milk and milk components was similar on the diets containing 6.3 and 6.6% soybean meal, intermediate on 10.0% solvent, and least on the expeller-urea diet. Milk to feed was equal and greatest on diets containing 6.6% expeller and 10.0% solvent soybean meal, indicating comparable utilization of the expeller diet containing only 60% as much supplemental protein.