12/22/97

Contacts:
Charles Hurburgh, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, (515) 294-8629
Ed Adcock, Agriculture Information, (515) 294-2314

NATIONAL SOYBEAN QUALITY SURVEY FINDS GREATER VARIABILITY

AMES, Iowa -- Protein content dropped in soybeans harvested this fall across the nation compared with 1996. Oil content was at or above last year's levels.

"The variability of both protein and oil within any state was about 25 percent greater in 1997 than 1996. This was probably caused by the erratic weather patterns across the U.S. this year," said Charles Hurburgh, director of the Iowa State University Grain Quality Lab.

The lab analyzed 2,465 samples of soybeans sent in by soybean producers from 29 states. A breakdown of the data from all the states is attached. The 12th annual analysis was done for the United Soybean Board-American Soybean Association.

Producers were asked to send two samples: one from early harvest and one from late harvest to identify any maturity effect. Maturity did not significantly change composition this year, Hurburgh said. Early and late soybeans in none of the states differed by more than 0.2 percent for either oil or protein. Nationally, the early soybeans averaged 0.03 percent less protein and 0.02 percent more oil than the late soybeans.

The moisture content of this year's soybeans was generally low, about 10 percent or less. This benefits processors because at 10 percent moisture, soybeans yield 2 pounds more meal and 0.3 pound more oil per bushel than 13 percent soybeans, partially offsetting the reduced protein levels. Conversely, soybean producers sacrificed 1.2 percent in weight, or about 8.5 cents a bushel, for each percent of moisture below 13 percent. Hurburgh said competitive market bidding may erase some of these losses.

Hurburgh estimated average meal yields are 43-43.5 pounds per bushel of 48 percent (protein content) meal and 11.0-11.3 pounds per bushel of oil.

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