Schillinger researching soybeans to be fish food

QUEENSTOWN, Md. — Schillinger Genetics, where non-GMO rules, has its soybean research sights set on both the water and the land.
In its seed development lines are soybean varieties especially bred to feed animals, poultry and fish.
The firm, with a research facility on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, in an interim 2011 report to the Maryland Soybean Board from which it draws checkoff funding support, said that is has designed and is developing soybean varieties for fish food.
Schillinger is utilizing two approaches in this research: Targeting very high — 50 percent — levels of soy protein in the new lines. There are more than 50 lines with very high protein growing in research nurseries, the company reported.
Schillinger breeders also are evaluating new soy processing protocols to produce 63- to 75-percent protein in defatted soy meals.
“We are feeding our meals to eight species of fish and shrimp and preliminary results are exciting,” the report exclaimed.
A full report will is expected to be available later this month.
Schillinger also announced that it had added an aqua nutritionist to its staff, Dr. Alex Buentello.
He is in charge of Schillinger Genetics’ programs in aquaculture.
At the same time, the company is breeding varieties to reduce trypsin inhibitor in soybeans.
Trypsin inhibitor is a major anti-nutritional factor that occurs in soybean grain at an average content of 50,000 TIU/gram of seed.
It is necessary to denature the trypsin before feeding it to animals and and that is accomplished by “cooking” it to a temperature of 320 degrees F for four to five minutes to denature most of the trypsin.
Schillinger Genetics reports that it has discovered natural genetics to reduce trypsin to less than 10,000 TIU which is similar to the meal extracted and extruded by large processors. Thus there are opportunities to use soybeans directly without heating. Small expeller/extruders operated at low temperatures can be used as well as roller-mill/hammer mills where full fat meal is desired, the company said.
Schillinger Genetics has identified four varieties and is increasing seed for widespread testing.
“In 2011 we are feeding poultry, swine and fish our low trypsin meals. Two of the four varieties are adapted to Maryland,” the report to the Soybean Board read.
“There are two Delmarva poultry producers who have expressed a high level of interest in these new products and will be doing in-house feeding trials.”