Soybean Meal

Soybean meal is the by-product of the extraction of soybean oil. Several processes exist, resulting in different products. Soybean meal is usually classified for marketing by its crude protein content. High-protein types are obtained from dehulled seeds and contain 47-49% protein and 3% crude fibre (as fed basis). Soybeans are legumes related to peas, clover and alfalfa. Soybeans are dicots, which means they have two cotyledons. Each soybean plant produces 60 to 80 pods, each holding three pea-sized beans. Soybeans are hardy plants and well adapted to a variety of soils and soil conditions.