USSEC conducted a two-day animal nutrition and feed formulation training on May 30 and 31. The two-day event took place at the main campus of Pampanga State Agricultural University (PSAU) in the Philippines.
The training, led by a USSEC team composed of Dr. Neneth Reas, Dr. Benito Oliveros, and four other external speakers, was designed to provide precise nutrition information and equip the university’s graduating animal science and veterinary medicine students and post-graduate animal science and nutrition students with the correct information on the importance of looking into the quality of soybean meal according to amino acid and energy content instead of just crude protein. Results of bioassay and feeding demonstrations showing the higher nutrient content of U.S. soybean meal versus other origins were highlighted during the presentations, punctuated with formulation demonstrations using modern software towards the end of the two-day training. During the feed formulation demonstrations, the speaker showed consistent preference for U.S. soybean meal over other soybean meal origins with a premium of about $20.00/metric ton (MT). The use of fullfat soy (FFSBM) was also favored in young poultry, layers, and breeder diets over vegetable oil. USSEC has been conducting this activity with different agricultural universities in the Philippines to make sure young nutritionists and practitioners who will be part of the work force in the near future are aware of U.S. soybean meal’s higher nutrient values. At the end of the training, the PSAU coordinator agreed that the university should include the use of feed formulation software for their graduating animal science students. The database of different raw materials where U.S. soybean meal has the higher nutrient profile will be provided for USSEC through Eric Ruiz of Brilliant Alternatives.
The province of Pampanga is the second largest producing area for layers and pigs. PSAU is one of the biggest state agricultural universities in the Philippines, producing graduates who work for integrators, commercial farms, and feedmills in the country. Proper training of the incoming nutritionists to give higher value to U.S. Soy assures preference and higher benefit for the feed and animal industries in the country.