Novus International, Inc., the leader in intelligent nutrition, is sharing its analysis of soybean meal quality in the United States and research on copper sources in broilers during the International Poultry Scientific Forum (IPSF), held in conjunction with the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE).
IPSF will occur on January 27-28, 2025 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Soybean meal scrutiny
“Soybeans are the primary source of protein and amino acids in poultry diets. The quality of soybean meal is extremely important to the industry. NOVUS has been studying soybean meal quality for years with this new analysis looking at the activity of trypsin inhibitors in soybean meal produced in the U.S.,” says Mark Moran, NOVUS commercial director for North America.
Trypsin inhibitor (TI) is an anti-nutritional factor found in soybean meal that can affect amino acid digestibility, ultimately impacting broiler performance.
“We’ve been using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) technology for years to better understand the level of TI activity in soybean meal from around the world,” says Frances Yan, Ph.D., senior manager of global poultry research at NOVUS. “This study looks at samples from the U.S. from 2021-2024 to get a clearer picture of what poultry producers are feeding their broilers.”
Yan says by understanding the quality of soybean meal, producers and nutritionists can take action to minimize the impact of TI with feed additives like CIBENZA® Enzyme Feed Additive from NOVUS.
“We know broiler producers want to get the most out of their birds. To do that, they need to get the most from the feed,” Yan says. “Soybean meal analysis is something we offer our customers that makes a difference in achieving precision feeding and improving production efficiency.”
Yan will present her poster titled Evaluation of trypsin inhibitor activity in 2021-2024 United States soybean meal from 4:00-6:00 p.m. EST on Monday, January 27.
Swapping copper sources
Yan will also present new research on copper sources and their effect on broilers during IPSF.
Broiler producers supplement birds with copper to support structural integrity, energy efficiency, central nerve system, antioxidant balance, immune responses and many other vital functions.
“The most common copper source used in the U.S. poultry industry is inorganic tribasic copper chloride (TBCC) supplemented at high levels despite the industry recognizing that organic sources are better absorbed and more readily available in the birds,” says Moran. “With broiler producers and nutritionists wanting to get more from feed, and growing concerns from consumers about the environmental impact of animal agriculture, understanding how we can optimize copper source and levels in feed to drive performance is crucial to making the right choice for their operation.”
Yan will present a meta-analysis of six studies comparing feed conversion ratio, body weight, feed intake, and mortality in broilers fed inorganic TBCC at 125 ppm or organic source copper hydroxy analogue of methionine as MINTREX® Cu Bis-Chelated Trace Mineral fed at 30 ppm. The majority of the trials were also challenged with Eimeria and/or C. perfringens.
“The research shows with consistency that 30 ppm of MINTREX® Cu can replace 125 ppm TBCC in broiler diets and achieve the same growth performance,” Yan says. “The clear insights we gain from the study support an evidence-based recommendation; we show that MINTREX® Cu can effectively replace high supplementation of inorganic copper even in a pathogen-challenged flock”.
Yan’s oral presentation of A meta-analysis of copper source and level effects on growth performance of broiler chickens will take place from 11:30-11:45 a.m. EST on Monday, January 27.
Registration is required to attend IPSF and can be purchased at ippexpo.org/education-programs/IPSF/.
Those wanting to know more about these studies can speak with poultry experts at the NOVUS booth at IPPE, located in Hall A, Booth 1833 during the expo on January 28-30.
NOVUS provides solutions for the global animal agriculture industry. The company has experts around the world to provide guidance to poultry, pork and dairy producers. The NOVUS portfolio includes bis-chelated organic trace minerals, enzymes, organic acids, eubiotics, liquid and dry sources of methionine. For more information on how NOVUS is supporting the poultry industry, visit novusint.com.
