High Oleic Soybeans Move Into Dairy Rations at World Dairy Expo

High oleic soybeans differ from conventional beans in one decisive trait: fatty acid content. That single difference, explained on the sidelines of World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, is now pulling dairy producers toward growing and feeding a crop that was once a niche oilseed play.

Katelyn Goldsmith, Statewide Dairy Outreach Specialist at the University of Wisconsin Extension, spoke with The Dairy Site's Sarah Mikesell at the Expo. Her message was blunt. Conventional soybeans carry a lot of linoleic acid, a fatty acid that does not fit well into dairy diets. High oleic varieties replace much of that linoleic acid with oleic acid, and dairy farmers have taken notice.

"Dairy farmers have become really interested in growing these high oleic soybeans and using them in feed," Goldsmith said.

What must happen before a farm commits?

Goldsmith warned against a snap decision. Producers should not wake up one day and switch. Two structural hurdles come first.

The first is identity preservation. High oleic beans must stay separate from conventional soybeans from growth through storage. Any mixture with the conventional supply destroys the value of the trait. Goldsmith advised producers to talk to their seed supplier about the specific steps required on their operation.

The second is processing capacity. Whether conventional or high oleic, soybeans bound for dairy feed should be roasted, and roasters are scarce. "There's not many places that can do it," she noted, urging farmers to talk with suppliers and set a plan before making any overall decision.

Her broader recommendation: assemble the whole team, from agronomist to nutritionist, and map each step from field to feed bunk.

Why roasting is non-negotiable

Roasting does two jobs inside the bean. First, it increases the rumen undegradable protein portion, which means more amino acids pass through the rumen and arrive directly at the small intestine. Second, heat treatment neutralizes anti-nutrients, including trypsin inhibitor and urease.

"It's really important to roast soybeans to create a quality product," Goldsmith said.

Farmers have three processing routes, each with trade-offs and no universal winner:

• Work with a local feed mill that has a roaster, after confirming it can handle high oleic beans.
• Bring a mobile roaster directly to the farm.
• Buy and install a roasting setup on-farm.

The right choice depends on the operation and its circumstances, she said.

Can producers buy instead of grow?

Partly. Commercial supply exists but sits early in the chain. Interest is growing faster than availability, so high oleic beans remain harder to find than conventional soybeans. One workaround is already common: farmers team up with neighbors who grow the beans, then purchase directly from them. That arrangement sidesteps the thin commercial market while keeping identity preservation inside a known circle.

Which cows earn the feed first?

High oleic soybeans fit dairy diets broadly, and lactating cows are the core audience. Goldsmith's guidance is practical. Where supply is limited, or where only part of the herd can receive the ration, farmers should focus on high-producing cows, because they capture the largest benefit from high oleic diets.

Feeding the whole herd is also viable. Many farms already do it and use the beans to pull other ingredients out of the ration, saving money on purchased feed.

Heifers are the open question. Goldsmith said she has not yet seen research on feeding high oleic soybeans to heifers, but she expects farms to try it and is watching for the results.

What does this change for a dairy operation's margin? Nothing yet on paper, but the option is now concrete: a homegrown or neighbor-grown protein and fat source that, roasted correctly, delivers bypass amino acids and can displace purchased ration ingredients, provided the farm can secure segregation and roasting capacity first. Expect adoption to track the spread of mobile roasters and neighbor supply agreements rather than commercial availability.