# Supplementing with soybean meal



## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

My daughter's 4H pigs have been home for a week. We used up the first OH-CRAP-WE-DONT-HAVE-ANY-FEED get-the-only-bag-the-feedstore-has feed up. So yesterday we bought our local feed store's custom mix 16% (very inexpensive) and a bag of soybean meal. Her leader had said kids had a lot of success keeping costs down by upping the protein by supplementing with the sb meal. My question is: how much soybean meal per lb of 16% would bring the protein up to an appropriate level for them. In the past I always just FED our pigs. We've never had "show pigs" before and I'm a bit confuddled. Our leader is gone taking care of her mom who just had surgery so you folks out there in cyber pig world are my only hope! We HAVE also been mixing the local stuff (lots of fines it seems like, very "powdery") with leftover goat milk, about a quart between the two of them a.m. and p.m.


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## dylanM (May 25, 2010)

I feed soybean meal to our pigs . I fill a 5 gal bucket half full of the sb meal. Then I add hot water & stir . Let it sit for about 1/2 hour , stir again & add more hot water if needed.
When I am done it looks like cornbread batter only a little thinner.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I don't know if this feed will do the job for a show pig. Our grandson has been in FFA for several years, and they always feed their show pigs special feed just for show pigs. It makes them look muscled while not putting on excess fat. This is not a good food for hogs raised for pork, but it makes the show pigs look great. 
We always feed a show pig a month or so on regular feed before butchering.


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## Handyman (Sep 11, 2009)

You need to figure out what your target protein % is and use the Person Square to determine how much sbm to add per pound of 16% feed. Sorry, but I do not know what % you should be targeting. Google "person square" to find the formula. The math is really easy.

There may be other sources of protein that you could use, such as fish meal and peanut meal. See what's available and check prices.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

Simply adding SBM may result in Amino Acid imbalances which my impair growth, may reduce lean deposition, and my result in a fatter pigs.

I would suspect that the 16% ration you are feedng now was not formulated on a Lysine basis so it will be marginal on the EAA:Lysine ratios already.

I'd stick with a good show feed if you want to compete at the fair.

Jim


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## oregon woodsmok (Dec 19, 2010)

If you go to Metzer's website (it's ducks) there is a page for mix your own feed. You can put in how much protein in each feed and what your target protein level is and it will tell you how many pounds to mix together.


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## Lazy J (Jan 2, 2008)

oregon woodsmok said:


> If you go to Metzer's website (it's ducks) there is a page for mix your own feed. You can put in how much protein in each feed and what your target protein level is and it will tell you how many pounds to mix together.


That might give you the Crude Protein content but it doesn't address the Amino Acids.

I just formulated a ration for a customer, it contains 1.0 % lysine but the Crude Protein content is only 14.75%. Typically a 1.0% lysine ration contains 18% crude protein. The reason for hte lower Crude Protein is the use of high levels of Synthetic Amino acids to reduce excess protein and the use of Soybean Meal in the feeds.

Since the OP is feeding pigs for 4H and for show I still recommend she use a quality feed formulated for show pigs. (Notice that I did not say expensive)

Jim


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Thanks for the info! Is there any way I can supplement the soybean meal lysine issue until we are through the bag or should I start feeding soybean meal to my goats?


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