Protein Benson Hill Ultra-High Protein Soybean Meal Demonstrates Significant Potential in Tyson Foods Feeding Trial
Benson Hill a trailblazer in seed innovation, has once again proven its capacity to drive change in the agricultural and food sectors. The company today announced the positive results of its controlled broiler feeding trial conducted in collaboration with Tyson Foods, a global leader in the food industry. These findings reaffirm the high-performance, cost-effective nature of Benson Hill’s Ultra-High Protein, Low Oligosaccharide (UHP-LO) Protein soybean meal, solidifying its role as a revolutionary alternative to conventional soybean meal in poultry nutrition.
The groundbreaking results, which mirror those released in May 2024, highlight how Benson Hill’s UHP-LO soybean meal can replace conventional soybean meal in poultry diets without compromising the health, growth, or performance of the animals. As feed costs rise and profitability in poultry farming becomes increasingly dependent on efficiency, this new solution offers poultry producers the ability to lower their feed expenses while maintaining, or even enhancing, the performance of their flocks.
The controlled trial conducted by Tyson Foods demonstrated that Protein UHP-LO Protein soybean meal resulted in comparable animal performance to conventional soybean meal in broiler diets. More specifically, the broilers fed with UHP-LO soybean meal exhibited final body weights, feed conversion ratios, and carcass traits that were virtually identical to those of the control group, which was fed conventional soybean meal. These findings indicate that UHP-LO soybean meal can serve as a viable and cost-effective alternative for poultry nutrition without sacrificing the quality or efficiency of the production process.
Economic and Nutritional Benefits
One of the most compelling advantages of Protein UHP-LO soybean meal is its ability to lower feed costs while delivering superior nutritional outcomes. UHP-LO soybean meal is formulated to provide higher levels of protein and increased metabolizable energy compared to conventional soybean meal. As a result, poultry producers can reduce their dependence on traditional soybean meal and fat while maintaining the necessary protein and energy levels needed for optimal animal growth.
According to the results from Tyson Foods’ trial, Protein UHP-LO soybean meal delivered a notable cost advantage. When formulated for cost-effectiveness, the UHP-LO Protein soybean meal led to a decrease in feed costs, with savings of up to $0.20 per bird in this study. This economic benefit was a direct result of the higher crude protein content in UHP-LO soybean meal, which improved the overall nutritional profile of the poultry feed. Additionally, this reduction in feed costs can be translated into higher profit margins for poultry producers, enhancing the competitiveness of their businesses in a market increasingly focused on sustainability and cost control.
The higher protein content found in UHP-LO soybean meal—14 percent higher than conventional soybean meal—ensures that poultry producers can meet the nutritional demands of their animals while benefiting from more cost-effective feed options. Furthermore, the reduced levels of anti-nutrients (such as oligosaccharides) in UHP-LO soybean meal make it more digestible for poultry, leading to improved overall feed efficiency and animal performance. The reduction in anti-nutrient levels—up to 90 percent fewer oligosaccharides—enhances the digestibility of the meal, ensuring that the nutrients in the feed are fully absorbed by the animals, thereby improving growth rates and feed conversion ratios.
In addition to the economic and nutritional benefits, UHP-LO soybean meal supports sustainability goals by reducing the need for supplementary feed ingredients, which can help lower the carbon footprint associated with poultry farming. As the agricultural industry faces growing pressures to reduce its environmental impact, products like UHP-LO soybean meal offer a promising solution to improve the sustainability of animal feed production, while simultaneously improving efficiency and profitability for producers.
Trial Details and Flexibility of UHP-LO Soybean Meal
The Tyson Foods trial involved more than 800 broilers, all of which were raised in a controlled research environment. Each bird was fed diets that met standard nutritional requirements, with the UHP-LO soybean meal being included at various levels to assess its flexibility and performance. The trial demonstrated that UHP-LO soybean meal can be effectively incorporated into broiler diets without compromising animal performance.
Importantly, the trial revealed that UHP-LO soybean meal offers poultry producers increased flexibility in formulating their feed rations. With the ability to adjust the inclusion levels of UHP-LO soybean meal, producers can optimize their feeding strategies to achieve both cost savings and improved bird performance. The ability to formulate feeding rations for both cost advantages and bird performance gains is a significant benefit for the poultry industry, as it enables producers to tailor their feed strategies to the unique needs of their operations.
For example, in the Tyson trial, the use of UHP-LO soybean meal resulted in an improvement of up to 5.4 percent in bird performance when compared to conventional soybean meal, further emphasizing the meal’s ability to drive better outcomes for producers. These performance gains, combined with the cost savings from using UHP-LO soybean meal, make it an attractive option for poultry producers looking to enhance their operations.
The research summary, available at Benson Hill’s official website, further outlines the flexibility of UHP-LO soybean meal and its ability to drive both economic and performance improvements across the poultry value chain.
Insights from Industry Experts
Dr. Roy Brister, Ph.D., an independent animal nutritionist with decades of industry experience, praised the Tyson project for its demonstration of the advantages of Benson Hill’s soybean meal for poultry producers. “Achieving performance parity with conventional soybean meal presents poultry nutritionists with a meaningful opportunity to optimize their performance feed by simply selecting a premium UHP-LO option,” said Dr. Brister.
He further emphasized that Benson Hill’s UHP-LO soybean meal offers immediate benefits for poultry producers seeking to improve their feed strategies. As the poultry industry continues to evolve, products like UHP-LO soybean meal provide a clear pathway for producers to meet the increasing demands for cost-effective, high-performance, and sustainable feed solutions.
Benson Hill’s commitment to enhancing the entire food supply chain was also highlighted by Matt Begemann, Senior Director of Research and Development at Benson Hill. “This commercial trial shows how Benson Hill’s UHP-LO soybean meal is helping redefine poultry feed,” he said. “The positive results confirm how Benson Hill’s UHP-LO soybean meal can generate higher nutritional and economic returns. Collaborating with a leader like Tyson Foods is consistent with our commitment to advancing soy quality traits that benefit the entire supply chain. For me, it’s exciting to see our science play out in practice.”
Expansion and Ongoing Research
Benson Hill’s innovative UHP-LO soybean meal is made exclusively from proprietary soybean varieties developed through the company’s advanced seed innovation platform. The company’s focus on advancing soy quality traits is central to its vision of creating more sustainable, nutritious, and cost-effective solutions for the food and agriculture industries.
Benson Hill is also committed to expanding the use of UHP-LO soybean meal across various animal feed sectors, including poultry, dairy, and swine. The company is collaborating with value chain partners to ensure that its UHP-LO soybean meal becomes widely available to producers across the country. Furthermore, Benson Hill is actively researching additional applications for its soybean meal, with ongoing trials planned to further validate its effectiveness in various animal feed contexts.
As the company looks toward the future, Benson Hill remains dedicated to driving innovation in the agricultural sector and providing sustainable solutions that benefit both producers and consumers. With its groundbreaking work in soybean meal, the company is well-positioned to lead the way in developing new technologies that enhance feed efficiency, sustainability, and profitability across the entire food supply chain.
In conclusion, the successful results from Tyson Foods’ feeding trial validate the potential of Benson Hill’s Ultra-High Protein, Low Oligosaccharide soybean meal to revolutionize the poultry feed industry. With its ability to lower feed costs, improve animal performance, and support sustainability goals, UHP-LO soybean meal is poised to become a key player in the future of animal nutrition.
