Last month I asked you to help me resolve a dilemma over soybeans in the chicken feed. Typically soybeans are 30% of a chickens daily ration. They provide protein and valuable amino acids that encourage egg production. Over the last year we have gradually cut down this percentage to 15. Below that egg production falls.
In October I was informed by the Mill that we may have to switch from US grown organic Soybeans to Chinese organic some time in the New Year. With all the problems they are having with contaminated feed this alarmed me. I have since learned and been assured from two sources here and in the Mid West that there are enough US grown organic soybeans available until next years crop.
Many of you raised health concerns about soybeans. I understand these and have a big thick new book on poultry nutrition at my bedside. I am part of the American Pastured poultry Producers Association and like everyone we have a Yahoo group. I asked what other growers were using instead of soybeans. It seems we either need to replace the soy with fish meal or another form of meat protein. Neither of these am I happy with. So the state of play at the moment is that we will have all US soy and I will delve into my book and see what other feed formulations there are available… Nigel