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I want to talk about soybeans this morning.
I will highlight the biggest impediment to livestock farming in Nigeria today
Many of us are ignorant about what makes an animal grow, and I will explain that right now
#Thread
I will highlight the biggest impediment to livestock farming in Nigeria today
Many of us are ignorant about what makes an animal grow, and I will explain that right now
#Thread
The key to effectively feeding your animals in an intensive farming system, is the percentage of digestible crude protein (DCP) contained in their feed
Where livestock (poultry, and ruminants) are raised in a free range manner, they get their DCP from foraging on the ground
Where livestock (poultry, and ruminants) are raised in a free range manner, they get their DCP from foraging on the ground
Chickens eat all sorts of things from leaves, to stones, crumbs and grains to make up for their protein needs.
The major nutrients needed for animal growth are proteins and carbohydrates.
CARBOHYDRATES are the source of energy in animals, while PROTEINS are the source of growth
The major nutrients needed for animal growth are proteins and carbohydrates.
CARBOHYDRATES are the source of energy in animals, while PROTEINS are the source of growth
There are other necessary nutrients that animals need, but carbohydrates and proteins are the ones needed in the highest quantities
This brings us to soybeans
Soybeans are the single most important source of DCP in the whole world!
There other good sources of proteins
This brings us to soybeans
Soybeans are the single most important source of DCP in the whole world!
There other good sources of proteins
such as sunflower seeds, cotton seeds, peanuts, melon seeds, pumpkin seeds, and other oilseeds and veggies/leaves
However soybeans are the most complete source where a majority of the necessary proteins needed by animals are found in one place.
In Nigeria today, our low soybean
However soybeans are the most complete source where a majority of the necessary proteins needed by animals are found in one place.
In Nigeria today, our low soybean
output and availability has resulted in animal feed producers combining various industrial waste materials (such as wheat bran, wheat offal, rice bran, cotton husk, melon husk, fish waste, blood meal, bone meal, etc) to arrive at a suitable composition for animals
As a result
As a result
of the difficulty in sourcing all these waste materials on a small scale, only the medium sized and large producers are able to make high quality animal feed for the local market
Because of this, the large animal feed producers have the liberty to hike their prices to the max
Because of this, the large animal feed producers have the liberty to hike their prices to the max
Another reason why soybeans isn't in greater supply in the market is because it needs to be processed before consumption
Soybeans is an oilseed with about 50% oil content
The seed contains about 25% & 20% of protein & carbohydrates respectively,
While the rest are minor
Soybeans is an oilseed with about 50% oil content
The seed contains about 25% & 20% of protein & carbohydrates respectively,
While the rest are minor
nutrients and minerals
If you feed your animal with a mix of soybeans which hasn't been de-oiled, you will need to include far more in the mixture before you can achieve a good DCP content
For example, if you want to produce a 50kg bag of feed with minimum DCP of 20%,
If you feed your animal with a mix of soybeans which hasn't been de-oiled, you will need to include far more in the mixture before you can achieve a good DCP content
For example, if you want to produce a 50kg bag of feed with minimum DCP of 20%,
You will need to make almost 90% of the feed mixture to be full fat soybeans alone.
On the other, when you extract the oil in the soybeans and roast it (to kill the inhibitors that don't allow it to be eaten raw),
You have a 50% protein content and 40% carbohydrate content
On the other, when you extract the oil in the soybeans and roast it (to kill the inhibitors that don't allow it to be eaten raw),
You have a 50% protein content and 40% carbohydrate content
Therefore you will only need 20kg of soybean meal (de-oiled soybeans) in a 50kg bag of animal feed to arrive at a 20% DCP ratio
Several sources of carbohydrate also contain DCP (such as maize with 8% DCP)
Maize is favored by feed producers because it allows them to use less
Several sources of carbohydrate also contain DCP (such as maize with 8% DCP)
Maize is favored by feed producers because it allows them to use less
soybeans per feed mix.
Maize yield per hectare in the developed world is between 4 and 12 tons, while soybeans yield is 2.8 tons
In Nigeria, maize yield is between 2 and 8 tons per hectare, while soybeans still hovers between 0.8 and 1.6 tons
Therefore it is cheaper to import
Maize yield per hectare in the developed world is between 4 and 12 tons, while soybeans yield is 2.8 tons
In Nigeria, maize yield is between 2 and 8 tons per hectare, while soybeans still hovers between 0.8 and 1.6 tons
Therefore it is cheaper to import
But due to the rising exchange rate and policy of govt to cut imports (since we have the land and manpower to produce the crops locally),
We are being forced to rely on local supply, which will drive up prices
There's also another important fact about soybeans
It's protein
We are being forced to rely on local supply, which will drive up prices
There's also another important fact about soybeans
It's protein
content makes it a prime raw material for the beef substitution industry globally (largely driven by vegetarians and vegans)
Soybeans is a prime material used as a beef substitute in the food industry.
"Gala", "bigi", "beefy", etc are all directly made largely from soybeans
Soybeans is a prime material used as a beef substitute in the food industry.
"Gala", "bigi", "beefy", etc are all directly made largely from soybeans
Therefore the animal feed industry is in direct competition with the food industry for the same processed soybeans.
The food industry is trying to substitute the high cost of beef in their products with a cheaper material, while the livestock industry is forced to keep raising
The food industry is trying to substitute the high cost of beef in their products with a cheaper material, while the livestock industry is forced to keep raising
prices as a result of the rising cost of feed!
Its a vicious circle that needs to be turned around!
Animal meat prices need to come down in order for the food industry to feel less pressure to cut costs by shortchanging the animal feed industry
How will this all happen?
Its a vicious circle that needs to be turned around!
Animal meat prices need to come down in order for the food industry to feel less pressure to cut costs by shortchanging the animal feed industry
How will this all happen?
We need to process more soybeans for the animal feed industry
Soybeans costs 150k per ton
But soybean meal (SBM) is hard to find because producers prefer to sell to the food industry & make over 200% profit
If we don't expand processing capacity, our production capacity won't
Soybeans costs 150k per ton
But soybean meal (SBM) is hard to find because producers prefer to sell to the food industry & make over 200% profit
If we don't expand processing capacity, our production capacity won't
grow
needs over 6m tons of processed soybeans annually to meet local demand, whereas we produce less than 1m tons
Without highly increased processing soybeans capacity, the prices of animal feeds will continue to grow & the quality of what our animals eat will continue to
needs over 6m tons of processed soybeans annually to meet local demand, whereas we produce less than 1m tonsWithout highly increased processing soybeans capacity, the prices of animal feeds will continue to grow & the quality of what our animals eat will continue to
drop
My solution?
Small animal feed producers need to come together and finance their own soybean processing plants in order to give themselves an affordable source of sbm that can allow them compete favorable with the bigger producers
I have a group which is trying to produce
My solution?
Small animal feed producers need to come together and finance their own soybean processing plants in order to give themselves an affordable source of sbm that can allow them compete favorable with the bigger producers
I have a group which is trying to produce
animal feed sustainably from cassava peels
In order for the cassava peel-based feed to be adequate for animals, it requires a mix of up to 40% of SBM
At that quantity, the feed can achieve a price of N3000 per 25kg of high quality animal feed suitable for poultry & ruminants
In order for the cassava peel-based feed to be adequate for animals, it requires a mix of up to 40% of SBM
At that quantity, the feed can achieve a price of N3000 per 25kg of high quality animal feed suitable for poultry & ruminants
A 4-6 MT daily capacity soybean processing plant can be established for between 8-15m
It will produce between 3-5 MT of SBM daily for the animal feed industry
Interested investors can come together to crowd fund this enterprise, & I will be willing to manage it on their behalf
It will produce between 3-5 MT of SBM daily for the animal feed industry
Interested investors can come together to crowd fund this enterprise, & I will be willing to manage it on their behalf
On the other hand, you can decide to target soybean processing for the food industry as well in order to make some good profit
Any path you decide to choose, I can draw up a business plan for you
For national sustainability, our capacity to process soybeans needs to grow
End
Any path you decide to choose, I can draw up a business plan for you
For national sustainability, our capacity to process soybeans needs to grow
End
