Soybean meal leads as top protein choice for Mexico’s animal feed

Soybean meal continues to be the principal protein ingredient in balanced animal feed in Mexico, the National Association of Balanced Feed Manufacturers, or Conafab, said during a press conference on Aug. 27, and expects that total production of balanced animal feed in Mexico will increase year over year. “The soybean meal has a better protein level, 45%-47%, and it is the most widely used product in balanced animal feeds. It is the main protein product used,” said Jose Luis Munguia, Conafab’s president. Despite the importance of domestic soybean meal, he said that local soybean production is insufficient to meet demand, making imports a necessary component of the Mexican feed supply chain. According to the data presented by Conafab, total usage of protein co-products — including soybean meal, DDGS, canola meal, and other protein sources — reached 9.542 million mt, of which 5.234 million mt came from domestic sources and 4.308 million mt were imported. Looking ahead, the ...