Can the use of alternative protein sources reduce dependence on legume proteins? What are the advantages and limitations of each alternative protein source? There are nine alternative protein sources available for piglet diets. Some of these alternative protein sources, such as sunflower seeds, rapeseed and corn distiller's grains and solubles (DDGS), are used more often in piglet diets. Peas, broad beans, and lupins can be used in some diets, but are more widely grown. Products such as insect powders, Lenma protein concentrates, and algae are gradually being commercialized, so these protein sources also have the potential to provide high quality protein for the pig industry. Sunflower seed meal. Sunflower seeds are mainly used for oil extraction. Residual sunflower seed meal after oil extraction can be used for pig feed. Its protein content ranges from 23% (full sunflower seed) to 40% (after shelling and oil extraction). When the price is reasonable, the sunflower seed meal content in the diet can be added to 20%, replacing 50% of the soybean meal in the diet, and it has been tested and found to be cost-effective. However, due to the presence of phenolic compounds in sunflower meal, the digestibility of protein is also a problem, which is why it is not recommended to add sunflower meal to the diet of piglets. Rapeseed meal. The product is a by-product of oilseed rapeseed, with a protein content of 41% to 43%. Compared with sunflower seeds, rapeseed can be grown in colder climates, making rapeseed meal one of the options for more pig farms. Anti-nutritional factors (ANF) in rapeseed meal are also a major problem, but so far have been developed to produce double low (low glucosinolate and low erucic acid) rapeseed varieties. The amount of rapeseed meal added to the diets of nursery piglets should not exceed 5%, but the amount added to the diet of the finishing pigs can be increased to 25% without affecting the growth performance. Corn lees and solubles. Distillers grains and solubles from corn are a by-product of the consumption of corn and wheat by the alcohol manufacturing industry and the biofuels industry, with a protein content of 30%-40%. Distillers grains and solubles have the potential to replace some of the pods in the diet of pigs. However, the protein content of different batches of corn distiller's grains and solubles varies greatly. The difference in quality and the possibility of mycotoxin contamination mean that people who formulate feed formulations must be careful. Determination of the digestibility of amino acids in corn distiller's grains and solubles and the level of feed in pigs can determine the true value of corn distiller's grains and solubles. At present, the recommended dosage for growing pig diets is 20%, and for adult pigs it is 50%. Coconut pods. Coconut bran comes from coconut oil after oil extraction, and its oil content and protein content (20%-25%) are high. Asia is the main producing area of ​​coconut cod, which is a low-cost feed material. However, coconut cocoons are rich in fiber and have a low content of essential amino acids in animals, plus they contain mannooligosaccharides and galactomannan oligosaccharides, which have a limit of 5% to 25% in the diet of pigs and must be As pigs increase in age, they increase. Peas and beans. There are many different varieties of peas and beans in the world - from broad beans in Europe to chickpeas in Asia, which can adapt to different climates. In areas suitable for growing peas and broad beans, they are all expected to serve as a substitute for soybeans. Pea has a high protein (25%) and essential amino acids, but relatively low levels of methionine. Beans are a very important species in crop rotation because they can fix nitrogen. In terms of anti-nutritional factors, peas contain protease inhibitors, lectins, and phytic acid, while broad beans contain higher tannins and alkaloids. Deep processing and micronization are very beneficial to the use of peas and broad beans, thus increasing their dietary intake. Lupine. Lupin is also a legume, but with a high protein content (up to 35%) and a low alkaloid content, it is best suited to provide nutrition for monogastric animals. The white lupine, on the other hand, is suitable as a feed for ruminants. Lupin seed coats have thicker fibers and their protein content can be further increased by mechanically removing seed coats. In Europe, due to the rich nutritional value of lupine, people began to replant large-scale cultivation of lupine. Australia is the largest producer of lupins and has extensive experience in feeding lupins for livestock. Tests have shown that according to the pig's different age and feeding stage, the amount of pigs added is between 10% and 30%. Insect powder. At present, the most studied species of feed insects are black scorpions, common houseflies and yellow mealworms. Several companies are already engaged in large-scale production and plans for further feeding trials. They use organic waste as a nutrient source for insects, harvesting larvae and making them dry powders. The protein content of insect powders is as high as 30% to 70%. The amino acid content of insect powder is higher than that of growing pigs and the digestibility is high. duckweed. For a long time, duckweed has been used as animal feed in many parts of the world. Duckweed grows very fast in areas with water and protein content is very high (35%-45%). At present, duckweed is grown on a large scale in many places and dried for feed after harvest. Deep processing of duckweed can increase its protein content, thus ensuring a stable and reliable feed product. Some scholars conducted an experiment to determine the digestibility of duckweed protein concentrate (LPC) in weaned piglets. The researchers found that crude protein and amino acids in duckweed are very easy to digest, with average digestibility and standard ileal digestibility (SID) of 79.09% and 81.7%, respectively. Compared with soybean meal, duckweed protein concentrates have higher concentrations of SID proteins and amino acids, and the fish meal has similar SID protein and amino acid content. Algae. Algae are the fastest-growing organisms in the natural world, and a large number of studies have been carried out on algae production technology and its application in pig feed. Phototrophic (blue-green and green) microalgae can be planted in artificial ponds, ground and powdered. Algal flour contains 45% protein, and its essential amino acid concentration is considerable, making it a very nutritious feed ingredient. Short-term and long-term outlook If the price and availability are satisfactory, more sunflower and rapeseed meal can be used for pig diets. With regard to corn distiller's grains and solubles, further studies should be conducted on the amount of distiller's grains in pig diets, combined with other technologies, and it is expected to increase the amount of corn distiller's grains and solubles in pig diets. For the legumes, further development of breeding techniques can increase their yield and resistance to diseases and insects, and can further reduce the anti-nutritional factors therein. If you use a new protein source, you can calculate the basic nutritional value, but the amino acid digestibility needs to be measured. If deep processing, extraction or fractionation can be performed, nutritional value can be further enhanced. These high-quality but cost-intensive products have higher protein content and lower levels of anti-nutritional factors, making these alternative protein sources more suitable for pig diets. Greenhouse Plastic Plastic Clamps Greenhouse Plastic Plastic Clamps,Greenhouse Structure Connecting Clamps,Agricultural Greenhouses Clamps,Plastic Clamps JIANGSU SKYPLAN GREENHOUSE TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD , https://www.thgreenhouse.com