“At T&H Dairy, we have traditionally grown commodity soybeans and sold them at harvest. This year we grew 900 acres of high-oleic soybeans and contracted 300 acres of high-oleics with a local farmer to roast and feed to our lactating dairy cows,” Mike Halfman of T&H Dairy said.
High-oleic oil
Linoleic and linolenic acids contribute to instability in oil and reduce shelf life, while oleic acid improves oxidative stability (Table 1). Olive oil, considered by many to be the gold standard when it comes to healthy oil, has approximately 75% oleic acid while oil from commodity soybeans has only 23%. The USB has set industry standards for high-oleic and low-linolenic soybean oil at greater than 75% oleic and less than 3% linolenic acids.
High-oleic soybean oil is highly sought-after in the human food market due to its health and food industry benefits. It is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be labeled as a heart-healthy oil due to its relationship to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease compared to other oil choices. Not only is the health of the oil beneficial to the food industry, but the neutral flavor, improved shelf life and longer fry life have caused increased demand for HOSB oil.
Table 1. Comparison of select oil traits of various oils and current high-oleic soybean developers.
Dairy feed
While in the past the market signaled for strong growth of HOSB acres to be needed for human food applications, today in Michigan the largest growth potential is seen in the dairy sector. One milking cow consumes approximately one acre of HOSB on an average ration per year. Considering 2024 Michigan dairy herd numbers, the dairy industry could create 439,000 acres of HOSB demand in Michigan alone.
Cows utilize both the oil and protein efficiently, leading to improvements in milk yield and component production when HOSB are roasted and correctly incorporated into rations as they provide a feed source rich in both protein and energy while maintaining a favorable fatty acid profile. The balance of fatty acids in HOSB lowers the risk of diet-induced milk fat depression.
Michigan State University (MSU) research has shown including roasted HOSB at 16% of the ration dry matter can increase milk yield without reducing feed intake. Improvements depend on three controllable factors: roast quality, particle size and inclusion rate. Maintaining consistent roasting temperature and managing ration fat levels are key to realizing benefits.
Halfman said, “Since mid-August, we have been feeding 7.5-8.0 pounds per cow per day, with a focus on our high-producing cows. Back in March, we began feeding 3 pounds per cow per day with HOSB we were able to purchase. This lower feeding rate bumped milk production maybe 2-3 pounds per cow, but it didn’t change milk components. On our higher feeding rate, we are now seeing an increase of over 4-5 pounds of fat-corrected milk per cow per day and 0.15-0.2 more butterfat.”
Unlike conventional soybeans, which are limited to roughly 10-12% of ration dry matter because of their higher linoleic acid content, roasted HOSB have been fed successfully at levels up to 24% without measurable signs of diet-induced milk fat depression. As with any ingredient, inclusion should be based on comparative nutrient value and ration cost.
Replacing purchased protein and fat supplements with roasted HOSB can lower feed costs and improve margins. Recent economic modeling at MSU found an average income-over-feed-cost advantage of $0.65 per cow per day for farms producing and roasting their own HOSB and about $0.27 per cow per day for farms buying roasted beans and paying transport.
Halfman said, “We could not have fed this much fat any other way because it would have been far too expensive. While we aren’t quite sure our exact feed savings per cow yet, we are now purchasing a lot less feed back onto our farm.”
Source : msu.edu