The Rural Voice, 1983-04, Page 43RAW SOYBEANS FOR
LIVESTOCK FEED
Crushed, raw soybeans could provide
Atlantic Canada farmers with an econo-
mical source of high-quality protein for
dairy and beef cattle.
In P.E.I., commercial soybean meal
has traditionally been imported to the
Island and used to supplement grain
rations for livestock. Soybean meal is a
by-product after the extraction of soya
oil from soybeans for human consump-
tion.
Research, now, has shown that raw
soybeans can successfully replace ex-
pensive, imported soybean meal when
fed as part of a balanced diet to cattle.
A soybean feeding project was car-
ried out by the P.E.I. Soil and Crop
Improvement Association involving
three dairymen and three beef produ-
cers.
The project was funded under Agri-
culture Canada's Productivity Enhance-
ment Program (P.E.P.) for the Island. It
was designed to demonstrate to live-
stock producers that raw soybeans
could replace other supplements with-
out any drop in livestock productivity.
During a 60 -day period, test groups in
each herd were fed rations containing
oats, grain corn or barley plus raw
soybeans. A control group in each herd
received regular grain rations plus soy-
bean meal. The crude protein levels of
all rations ranged between 14 and 18
per cent.
Peter Boswall, technician working on
the project, noted that the animals
showed no problems in accepting the
feeds containing raw soybeans.
Because of their high oil content, raw
soybeans may clog feed crushing
equipment. The soybeans used in the
project, however, were test -milled suc-
cessfully using a roller mill, a hammer
mill and a plate crusher.
The roller and hammer mills could
handle several hundred kilograms of
raw soybeans without sticking or gum-
ming up but, according to Boswall, it is
a good idea to run either oats or barley
through the mill after the soybeans to
remove any oil residues.
There was no problem with spoiling
provided the rations, which are high in
fat content, were fed within two weeks
of crushing. ❑
SAFETY IN NUMBERS"
The consequences of metric conver-
sion mistakes by farmers can be far
reaching, particularly in herbicide and
pesticide spraying programs.
Timbre!' said the ministry has begun
PG. 42 THE RURAL VOICE, APRIL 1983
FARM ADVICE
a special metric conversion educational
program to teach farmers how to con-
vert safely. It will involve special chemi-
cal sprayer clinics for farmers, distribu-
tion of detailed conversion tables and
sprayer calibration bottles, and the
education of pesticide dealers on metric
conversion.
The agriculture minister warned the
association that in a troubled economy
a farmer's pocketbook may take prece-
dence over safety. "When mere survival
becomes one's paramount pre -occupa-
tion, thoughts of safety may fly out the
window." he said. "Perhaps the pres-
CO.OP
sure of making ends meet leads him to
push himself a little harder than he
should, and he's setting himself up for
a fall."
Walter Melinyshyn of the provincial
labor ministry said more accidents
happen on the farm than in other
workplaces, with a national average of
45 farm fatalities annually in 1979, 80
and 81. He said using a base of 100,000
workers the average fatality rate for
agriculture works out to a figure of 33,
compared to 29 for mining, 14 for
construction and 1.8 for industry. H
J
Gregor Campbell
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