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Abstract
Introduction: The value of soy protein to an animal is dependent upon many complex and varying factors. In contrast to the papers presented here which concentrate attention on the nutritive value of soy protein, this paper focuses on capturing and evaluating these nutritional aspects in an economic framework. The approach taken is a mathematical model (linear programming) of the U. S. feed-protein-livestock industry which can be used to quantitatively measure the impact of changes in underlying factors such as feed ingredient supply conditions, animal numbers, feed manufacturing costs, feeding programs, nutrient composition of feed ingredients, nutrient requirements of animals, and feeding rates by animal class. In addition, this conceptual framework can be beneficial in understanding and analyzing the demand for specific feed ingredients and/or nutrients, such as the economic effect of substituting soy protein for other proteins. An indepth analysis of the demand for soy protein requires simultaneous consideration of its multiple dimensions of space, time, commodities, quality, feeding programs, animals, and marketing levels. For brevity the approach here is to present the basic features of the model without the dimensions of space, time, and some marketing levels.