Feeding Edible Beans and Soybeans to Cattle

Feeding and Silaging Edible Beans, Soybeans and Sunflowers to Livestock
 
1. Feeding Edible (Cull) Beans
Cull edible beans—such as navy, pinto, and kidney beans—often include shrunken, broken, or discoloured seeds, along with stems, soil, and other debris. Despite their downgraded appearance, their nutrient composition remains relatively consistent across types. Nutrient composition of beans is approximately 80% TDN, 23% Crude Protein and 2% Fat.
Feeding Recommendations
  • Include at 10–20% of ration dry matter.
  • Higher levels may cause diarrhea.
  • Introduce cull beans gradually to allow rumen adaptation.
  • Monitor cattle closely for digestive upsets during transition.
 
2. Feeding Soybeans to Cattle
Many producers report immature soybeans with high sclerotinia levels. While these beans are unsuitable for standard markets, they can be used in beef and dairy rations. Nutrient composition of beans is approximately 93% TDN, 41% Crude Protein and 18% Fat.
Key Feeding Considerations
Because soybeans are high in fat, inclusion levels must be limited to ensure:
  • Total dietary fat remains <5% of ration dry matter.
  • Excess fat can reduce fibre digestion and negatively impact rumen function.
 
3. Feeding Recommendations by Cattle Type
Dairy Cattle
  • Raw soybeans: limit to ~4 lb/day.
  • Roasted soybeans: may be fed at up to 6 lb/day.
    • Roasting increases rumen bypass protein and reduces anti‑nutritional factors.
Beef Cattle
  • Raw soybeans can be included at ~10% of the diet.
    • Approx. 1.5 lb/day for 600 lb growing cattle
    • Approx. 3 lb/day for bred cows
  • Soybeans may be fed whole or cracked (halves or quarters).
  • Avoid fine grinding, which can lead to digestive issues.
 
4. Sclerotinia Considerations
  • Sclerotinia contamination in soybeans is not associated with cattle health problems.
  • Beans should still be inspected for mould, spoilage, or heating before feeding.
Soybeans, originally introduced to Canada as a forage crop, also remain a viable option for silage, particularly when grain harvest is compromised. Forage-type soybeans are taller, longer-season, and produce more vegetative growth than grain varieties. Grain-type soybeans can also be ensiled successfully, offering higher crude protein and digestibility, though yields are typically 30% lower than forage types.
Sunflowers
 
Although sunflowers are primarily grown for seed, they can serve as a valuable forage source, especially when seed production potential is low. Since seeds account for only about one-third of plant dry matter, stressed sunflower crops can be profitably ensiled.
 
Variety Considerations for sunflowers
  • Confectionary types are most commonly used for silage.
  • Typical seeding rates: 3–5 lbs/ac (20,000–30,000 plants/ac) with 24-inch rows.
  • Forage yields are generally lower than corn when a full growing season is available.
 
 
Frost Considerations
    • Partial frost damage: ensiling is possible if moisture is 60–65%.
    • Beans on unfrosted parts may continue maturing
o    Sunflowers have high moisture (80–90%) at maturity due to thick stalks, wilting or swathing may be necessary to reduce moisture.
 
  • Complete frost damage: If soybean plants freeze green, ensile promptly at 60–65% moisture before drying occurs.
 
Optimal Harvest Timing
  • Soybean Silage: Cut just before pods are full (lower leaves turning yellow, pre-R7 stage).
    • Delayed harvest reduces digestibility and increases fermentation challenges due to high oil content.
    • If harvest is late, mix soybeans with ⅓ corn silage to improve fermentation and dilute fat. This will increase the soluble sugars and reduce buffering capacity of the soybeans.
    • Moisture target: 60–65%; wilt if necessary before chopping.
o    Inoculants: Recommended when conditions are less than ideal to prevent high pH and mold growth.
·         Soybean Hay
o    Comparable to early-bloom alfalfa but slow drying and brittle stems increase leaf loss and bunk refusal.
o    Use conditioners to speed drying and reduce mold risk and keep raking to a minimum to reduce leaf and pod losses.
o    Harvest earlier than silage stage to maximize crude protein and minimize leaf loss.
 
·         Sunflower Silage
o    Buffering Capacity:
§  High fat content increases buffering against fermentation.
§  Water-soluble carbohydrates in stems improve ensiling properties.
o    Harvest Stage:
      • Ideal when backs of heads turn yellow and bracts brown, before bottom leaves drop.
      • Wait approximately 2 weeks after killing frost in order to achieve proper moisture levels
      • After frost, waiting too long can increase dry matter losses.
o    Chop Size:  
§  Fine chop recommended for better packing due to coarse stems.
 
Nutritional Profiles
Sunflower Silage
  • TDN/Energy: 67% - Lower than corn silage (≈80% of corn silage value).
  • Crude Protein: ~11–12%.
  • Fat: 7–11% (variety dependent).
  • Fiber: 1.5–2× more than corn silage; lignin up to 3× higher.
Feeding guidelines: supplement with other forage alternatives such as corn silage, haylage or hay
Soybean Silage 
  • Crude protein: 16–20%
  • Fat: 9–11% (limit intake to avoid excess dietary fat)
  • NDF: 38–48%
  • ADF: 27–37%
  • Calcium: 1.36–1.49%
  • Phosphorus: 0.26–0.31%
Feeding guidelines: Limit soybean forage to 10 lbs dry matter/day if fat content is 10%, and avoid combining with other high-fat feeds.
 
Key Recommendations
  • Harvest soybeans for silage at pre-R7 stage and 60–65% moisture.
·         Suitable for dry cows, steers, growing heifers, and low-producing dairy cows.
  • Consider mixing with corn silage for better fermentation and improving energy.
  • Use inoculants when conditions are suboptimal.
  • Perform feed analysis and balance rations accordingly.