Arkansas releases high-protein non-GMO soybean aimed at feed market

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By Ken Roseboro
Published: February 26, 2015
Category: Non-GMO Market News

UA 5814HP is a new, high-protein soybean variety from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture soybean breeding program.

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A new high-yield, high-protein non-GMO soybean variety from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture promises to make an ideal choice for the animal feed market.

Division soybean breeder Pengyin Chen said the non-GMO soybean’s high protein content offers improved feed efficiency for poultry, beef, and aquaculture producers. He added that the high yields and relatively low cost of a public variety will make the seed attractive to growers.

The new variety, called UA 5814HP, is a maturity group V soybean that averaged 58.8 bushels per acre over four years of testing in 12 locations around Arkansas, Chen said. It was also evaluated in seven southern region locations outside Arkansas where it averaged 64.8 bushels per acre.

In both tests, Chen said, UA 5814HP yielded at or near the top against popular varieties that were used for comparison.

UA 5814HP’s protein level is about 45.5 percent of dry weight, Chen said. It produces a feed meal with about 52.6 percent protein. He said some poultry companies have expressed interest in it because of the soybean’s potential offer of higher nutrition value per pound in animal feed.

UA 5814HP will be released to private companies through license agreements with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. He said about 600 bags are available now through the Foundation Seed Program.