Animal agriculture consumes most of the soybean meal (SBM) produced in the U.S. which is primarily
used as a protein source (more specifically, amino acids) in diets. Therefore, soybeans are an integral
component of the U.S. agriculture industry and the use of SBM in animal feed formulations is crucial to
the international competitiveness of the agriculture industry. The continued prevalence of SBM use in
animal feed is dependent upon a soybean composition that benefits livestock and poultry production.
Although SBM is not typically the least expensive source of protein, its amino acid profile and amino acid
availability makes it a highly competitive protein source for nearly every species when all attributes are
considered.
In 2022, total livestock and poultry production in the U.S. decreased by 1.4% to 129.2 million total
animal units, continuing a downward trend that started in 2019. Nine out of the ten animal groups
tracked saw a decrease, with the exception being broilers. Lower beef cattle inventories contributed to
over 70% of the total decrease in animal units. Due to the overall reduction in animal units, SBM
consumption was slightly lower in 2022 from 2021 by approximately 600,000 tons.
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