A New Form of Soy Can Help Feed Piglets.

A New Form of Soy Can Help Feed Piglets. Feed consisting of only vegetable sources tends to be much less expensive than feed that includes animal protein, which makes it an enticing option for farmers. Until now, a pig’s specific dietary needs have indicated that a vegetarian feed at this stage in the pig’s life isn’t a great option, but a new study from the University of Illinois indicates that with some careful tinkering, it might be possible. Pigs, like humans, are omnivores with specific protein needs and inefficient digestive systems. Weaner pigs are at an even more delicate point in their development; they also have trouble digesting some plant matter, like soybeans. The new study, examines the efficacy of a type of soy called “SPC,” which stands for soy protein concentrate. SPC is a heavily processed soy that usually uses an alcohol-based extraction method to pull out the most desired parts of the soybean, leaving the less-desired parts behind. After processing, SPC is a pellet or powder that’s around 70 percent protein and 20 percent carbohydrates. The regular soybeans are more like 55 percent protein and 30 percent carbohydrates. The UIUC researchers slotted SPC into a weaner pig’s diet in place of more common (and more expensive) protein sources like fish meal and spray-dried plasma protein (which is basically dried blood flakes), to see if this more processed, more efficient form of soy could serve the pigs well. The study shows that that, yes, SPC can in fact serve as a cheap and effective substitution for animal protein. source