Feeding whole soybeans to beef cattle
Published 11:43 pm Monday, November 2, 2026
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There may be instances where soybeans are rejected at the point of sale. The question becomes what to do with these beans. They can be fed to most classes of beef cattle, but there are some cautions to keep in mind.
According to Dr. Eric Bailey, MU Extension Beef Nutrition Specialist, soybeans rejected for moisture, weather damage, or other quality issues may have substantially different nutrient concentrations than normal soybeans. He recommends testing these beans for protein, fat, dry matter plus mold and mycotoxins when warranted. Avoid feeding chemically treated beans to cattle.
Whole soybeans are an excellent source of both protein and energy for beef cattle. Inclusion in rations, however, is generally an economic decision. Compare whole soybeans to other grain and grain by-product mixes to determine the most cost effective way to provide needed nutrients to balance rations for each particular group of cattle being fed.
The addition of whole soybeans to rations needs to be limited to two to three pounds per head per day for mature beef cows, depending on feeding conditions. Weaned calves, stockers and replacement heifers should be limited to 1 to 2 pounds per head per day. Excess dietary fat is the main reason to limit whole soybean inclusion in rations. Whole soybeans contain roughly 18 to 20% fat and total dietary fat should not exceed 5% in beef cattle rations. Higher fat levels greatly depress fiber digestibility and can reduce overall animal performance.
Avoid using whole soybeans in creep feeds. Raw soybeans contain a trypsin inhibitor which interferes with protein digestion in monogastrics such as pigs as well as young, nursing calves. Calves two to three months old and weighing less than approximately 300 pounds do not have a fully functional rumen and can be potentially impacted by consuming whole soybeans.
Whole soybeans also contain urease, an enzyme that releases ammonia from urea. If urea containing supplements are fed along with whole soybeans, excess ammonia can be released in the rumen and may become toxic to the animal. For this reason, do not feed urea containing protein supplements, protein tubs, liquid supplements or other sources of urea or non-protein nitrogen to cattle when feeding whole soybeans.
Whole soybeans can be a valuable ration ingredient provided the appropriate guidelines are followed. It is best to work with a nutritionist to calculate the level of whole soybean inclusion in diets for specific classes of beef cattle in order to avoid digestive issues.
Please contact me at schmitze@missouri.edu or call the Pettis County Extension Center at 660-827-0591 for more information on feeding whole soybeans to beef cattle.
