RALEIGH, N.C.--According to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of Nutrition (135, 9:2137-2143, 2005), neonatal pigs fed a hydrolyzed vegetable protein mixture of soy, wheat and other proteins, grew at a faster rate than those fed whey protein.
Researchers compared the replacement of whey protein with isolated soy protein (ISP), or two levels of a hydrolyzed vegetable protein mixture containing a partially hydrolyzed blend of soy, wheat and other proteins (Lo HVPM and Hi HVPM) in liquid milk-replacer diets fed to neonatal pigs, aged 2 to 19 days. Piglets fed the vegetable protein diets weighed 20 percent more at the end of the study than piglets fed the whey diet. Growth rates were 35 percent higher for piglets fed the Hi HVPM diet than for piglets fed the whey diet. Similarly, intakes of the vegetable protein diets exceeded that of the whey diet. Although the apparent ileal digestibilities of most amino acids were greater for the whey diet, digestible amino acid intakes were greater in pigs fed the Hi HVPM and ISP diets. Furthermore, carcasses of piglets fed the whey diet contained a higher percentage of fat and ash, whereas piglets fed the vegetable protein diets accreted protein 42 percent faster than those fed the whey diet. Villus height and area and leucine aminopeptidase activity in the small intestine were greater in piglets fed the Lo HVPM diet than in those fed the ISP diet.
Researchers concluded some processed vegetable proteins may be good alternatives to whey protein in liquid diets formulated for neonatal pigs, and that appropriate balance of amino acids is more important than protein source.
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