Evaluation of an enzymatically treated soya protein in the diet of weaned pigs

Soya proteins can provoke an immune response and cause diarrhoea in pigs weaned at 3 weeks of age. An enzymatically treated soya protein isolate (NURISH protein) did not have these effects in isolator reared experimental pigs (Miller et al 1992). A blind trial on 4 commercial farms was set up to evaluate NURISH as an alternative to conventional protein sources. On each farm 120 pigs (in 2 or 3 replicates) were fed either a typical commercial weaner diet containing cereals, fishmeal, milk proteins and full fat soya (the control) or a test diet matched for protein (22% CP), lysine (1.6%) and energy (DE 15.1 MJ/kg) with NURISH as the main protein source. Prophylactic antibiotics were not used.