This document provides an overview of soybean meal including its chemical, physiological, and feeding properties for use in fish feeds. It discusses the typical nutrient composition of soybean meal and how processing can impact nutrients. Soybean meal is a good plant-based protein source for many aquatic species when included at appropriate levels, such as 10% for carnivorous fish. Proper heat treatment is important to reduce antinutritional factors in soybean meal. Overall, soybean meal can replace some fish meal in aquaculture diets and contribute to more sustainable aquaculture practices.

1. An Assignment
0n
‘‘Chemical, Physiological, Feeding Value and Inclusion Rates of
Soybean Meal.’’
Course Title: Fish Feed Technology and Management.
Course code: AQUA-251
Department of Aquaculture.
Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science.
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University.
Submitted to:
Md. Abul Hashem (Sumon)
Adjunct Faculty,
Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science.
Submitted by:
Mohammad Rashidul Islam
Reg: 18-08912
Level:2, Semeseter: II
Submission Date: 16.05.2020

2. 1
Index
Content Page number
1. Introduction 2
2. Chemical Properties 2
3. Physiological Properties 3
4. Feeding Value 4
5. Inclusion Rates 5
6. Conclusion 5
7. Reference 6

3. 2
Introduction:
Soybean meal is the most important protein source used to feed farm animals. It represents two-
thirds of the total world output of protein feedstuffs, including all other major oil meals and fish
meal. Its feeding value is unsurpassed by
any other plant protein source and it is the
standard to which other protein sources
are compared. While it has been an
accepted part of livestock and poultry
diets in the USA since the mid-1930s
soybean feed production took off in the
mid-1970s and then accelerated in the
early 1990s due to a growing demand
from developing countries.The expansion Fig: Soybean Meal
of aquaculture and prohibitions on the feed use of slaughterhouse by-products have also fueled
the demand for this high-quality source of protein. While about 60 per cent of all fishmeal
production is exported, only 30 per cent of all soybean meal production is globally traded. One
important reason for this is that the biggest soymeal producers, China and the US, consume all or
large parts of their crops each year. Soybean meal is the most used vegetable protein feed in the
production of animal feeds.
Chemical properties:
Soybean meal is the source of protein and amino acids of choice worldwide in monogastric species.
The chemical composition of soybean meal, however, also varies depending on the latitude of the
planting area, hours of light, weather and environmental conditions during the harvest season. The
chemical composition of soybean meals is fairly consistent. The crude protein level depends on
the soybean meal quality.
The meal content as follows:

4. 3
• Soybean meal 44%
• De-hulled soybean meal 48%
• Full fat soybean meal 36%
Soybean meal contain lower macro and trace elements than fish meal. The calcium content is low
and phosphorus level is rather high. The phosphorus availability is 50% for channel catfish and
40% for white leg shrimp. Soybean meal is responsible source of B-vitamins.
Nutrients content in soybean products are the basic
element to optimization diets and estimation of
total quantity nutrients give to animals. Knowledge
about composition of feeds let to forecast animal
performance results. Soybean meal is the best
vegetable protein source considering on quantity as
well its quality. From among legume seeds, the
soybean seeds content the most of crude protein
and the best of amino acid composition. Fig: Chemical composition of soybean meal
Content of crude fiber (about 6%) is lower in comparison to another vegetable high protein feeds.
As per the energy contents of soybean meal, the sugar contents or the potential variation in the
protein digestibility, as well as the presence or absence of anti-nutritional factors (ANF) or
Maillard reactions should be taken into account. These parameters can vary considerably
depending on the origin of the bean and its processing
Physiological properties:
The digestible energy value of soybean meal is very high. The metabolizable energy and digestible
energy of full fat soybean meal depends on some factors. Generally, the metabolizable and
digestible energy of full fat soybean meal increases with increasing the heating temperature. The
digestible energy of soybean meals over all fish species ranges from 2572 to 3340 kcal/kg. The
digestibility of crude protein of soybean meal varies with different animal. Apparently shrimp
digest the crude protein of soybean meal better than fish.
Physical properties of soybean meal: It's including particle size and particle size distributions, bulk
density and true density, and repose angle and drain angle etc. Evaluation of particle size and

5. 4
particle size distributions by a standard method revealed that 70% of the particles fell into the
medium and fine range (between 0.595 and 1.19 mm). Bulk density and true density were
determined by multipycnometer and loose or zero degree bed packing.
The mineral digestibility of soybean meal for white leg shrimp varies widely and it is negative for
some element. The physical and mechanical properties of soybean were determined at 8 to 16%
moisture content.
Soybean meal is highly palatable to most warm water fish. But in some case soybean is unpalatable
for some fishes such as Chinook salmon. While as herbivorous and omnivorous species are less
choosy. The size or age of the fish may also affect the palatability of soybean meal.
Feeding value:
The partial replacement of fish meal by soybean meal in the diet for channel catfish resulted better
performance. The increasing level of soybean meal as a replacement of fish meal for Atlantic
salmon reared in the sea water result decreased growth. Full fat soybean meal heat treated
differently replaced fish meal at low levels in diets for channel cat fish showed that replacement
gave satisfactory results.
Without any adverse effect on growth and feed conversion of soybean meal with a methionine
supplement could replace up to 67 of fish meal for milkfish. Trypsin inhibitors (TI) are the main
ANF present in soybean meal, and they can affect the digestibility of amino acids. In addition, the
presence of oligosaccharides (stachyose and raffinose) should be taken into consideration when
assessing their nutritional quality. A correct thermal treatment however, can reduce the quantity
and activity of the TI, thus increasing the nutritional value and digestibility of the amino acids in
soybean meal.
About 60-70% of phosphorus in soybean meal is bound to phytic acid, which is nutritionally
unavailable to monogastric animals and reduces the availability of P and other minerals. Soybean
meal is a poor source of B vitamins.
Soybean meal contains oligosaccharides such as raffinose and stachyose that cannot be digested
by monogastric animals, due to the lack of a specific endogenous alpha-galactosidase. Normally
soybean meal contains 40-50% protein. And it is suitable feed for fish. Soybean meal contains
high amount of essential amino acid (EAA). It contains trypsin, phytic acid, saponin etc

6. 5
components. Heat processing destroyed antinutritional factors of soybean meal. Soya grits are the
products of soya flour. Boiled soybeans are good protein source for fish.
Inclusion Rates:
Soybean may replace animal protein in diets for aquatic animals to a certain extent. However, with
increasing substitution of e.g. fish meal by soybean meal the performance of fish decline.
Herbivores may tolerate higher levels of soybean meal than carnivores. It appears that full fat
soybean meal is more beneficial for cold water fish than for warm water species due to the better
utilization of the energy from the soybean products.
Only properly heat treated soybean products should be used for aquatic feeds. Furthermore, it is
advisable to use only soybean meals processed from dehulled seeds in order to reduce the crude
fisher content in the diet. Following level of soybean meal should be used as grower feed:
• Carnivores 10%
• Herbivores / omnivores 20%
• Marine shrimp 8%
• Freshwater shrimp 10%
Conclusion:
Soybean meal can significantly contribute to a reduce environmental impact of the fish farming
industry. There was no effect of source of soybean meal on weight gain of trout. The fish fed the
meal gained as much weight as fish fed other meals.
Soybean meal (SBM) is the most widely-used plant protein source in aquafeeds and is known to
be a cost-effective alternative for high-quality fish meal in diets for many aquaculture species
because of its high protein content, well-balanced amino acid profiles, reasonable price, consistent
quality, and steady supply.

7. 6
Farmers and feedstuff producers value fishmeal mainly because of its high protein content and
health enhancing nutrients. These characteristics are however not only found in fishmeal, but to
different degree also in vegetable based products like rapeseed, soybean, corn and gluten.
Soybean meal has been used to feed marine shrimp since the 1980s. By proper feed formulation
using soybean meal along with other plant protein sources, it was possible to develop a “fish meal
free” diet for rearing marine shrimp under pond culture conditions. Fish meal can be totally
replaced with soybean meal and distillers' by-products in the feeds for freshwater prawns.
References:
• www.feedpedia.org
• www.sciencedirect.com
• www.pig333.com
• www.thefishsite.com.
• www.en.engormix.com
• www.soybeanmeal.com
• www.cerealsgrain.org
• Handbook on Ingredients for Aquaculture Feeds by J.W. Hertrampf, F. Piedad-Pascua.
• Class-note of Md. Abul Hashem (Sumon).