Especially for protein sources such as soybean meal and sunflower meal, a high protein content is an important starting point for understanding the product’s value.
But it is not possible to determine how valuable a raw material is as feed by looking at the protein percentage alone.
The amount of protein and how far the protein can be used by the animal are not the same thing.
Total protein and usable protein are not the same
The crude protein value shown in a raw material’s analysis gives information about the total amount of protein the product contains.
But what matters for the animal is not total protein alone.
The structure of the protein, the amino acids it contains and the availability of these amino acids to the animal should also be assessed.
For example, in poultry feeding, attention is paid not only to the total amount of protein, but to whether the essential amino acids the ration needs are supplied in sufficient and balanced amounts.
So even if two raw materials have similar crude protein values, the value they provide in feeding may not be the same.
Why does amino acid balance matter?
An animal’s protein requirement is really a requirement for specific amino acids.
That is why, in feed formulation, the amino acid profile matters as much as the amount of protein.
The levels of essential amino acids such as lysine, methionine and threonine in particular, and their balance with one another, can affect how a raw material is used in the ration.
This shows why the simple approach that “a raw material with a higher protein content is always better” is not enough.
The processing method also matters
How a feed raw material is processed can also affect its nutritional value.
Especially for meals and similar products obtained from oilseeds, the processing method can affect the product’s protein, fat and other nutritional characteristics as well as their availability.
So when comparing raw materials in the same product group, rather than looking at a single value in the analysis, how the product was obtained and what characteristics it has should be assessed together.
Other values such as fat and fibre must also be considered
A feed raw material’s value in the ration is not limited to protein.
Energy value, fat content, fibre level, moisture and other nutritional characteristics can also become important depending on the product’s intended use.
For example, a raw material containing high protein may be an advantage; but that does not mean it can be used in unlimited amounts in the ration because of its other characteristics.
A raw material’s value should be assessed through its role within the whole ration.
Consistency of quality also matters commercially
Assessing a raw material on the basis of a single shipment can also be misleading.
Different batches of the same product may show changes in protein, fat, moisture and other quality parameters.
What matters for a feed manufacturer is not just that one shipment turns out well, but that similar characteristics can be maintained as far as possible in later shipments.
That is why reliable supply and regular quality control are important parts of choosing raw materials.
The assessment widens further for organic feed raw materials
In organic feed production, the product’s organic status is added to its nutritional values and quality characteristics when choosing raw materials.
The product must fall within the relevant organic certification scope, and this status must be protected throughout the supply chain.
At Biosmyrna, when assessing feed raw materials we see protein content as an important criterion, but we do not make the decision on this value alone.
We assess the product’s source, processing method, analysis results, other nutritional characteristics, organic status and its role in the feed it will be used in together.
Because no single number defines a good feed raw material. Real value emerges when all of a raw material’s characteristics are assessed together.
