Soybean cake is a by-product of soybean oil processing, primarily made from soybeans and black beans. It is one of the most nutritious plant-based feed ingredients available. On average, the dry matter in soybean cake provides over 3,000 kcal per kilogram, with crude protein content exceeding 40%. The protein quality in soybean cake has a higher biological value than other cake feeds. It also contains a significant amount of essential lysine—2.5% to 3%—which is ten times more than that found in corn. Despite its high nutritional value, it's important to use soybean cake properly in animal diets, as improper usage can reduce its effectiveness or even be harmful.
When using soybean cake as animal feed, there are four key precautions to follow:
First, avoid overfeeding. While it’s an excellent source of protein for young animals, laying hens, and pregnant or nursing females, it should not make up more than 10%-20% of a pig’s diet, as excessive amounts may cause diarrhea. For finishing pigs, too much can result in soft fat, which affects meat quality. In dairy cows, feeding around 4 kg per day can boost milk production, but overfeeding may lead to softer butter. In chicken diets, it’s typically safe at 20%, but higher amounts can cause digestive issues like diarrhea or even gout.
Second, do not use it alone. Although soybean cake is rich in protein, it lacks certain essential amino acids such as methionine, which is present at about 0.5%-0.7%. To balance the amino acid profile, it can be combined with other feeds like cottonseed meal, fish meal, or alfalfa. Additionally, it’s low in vitamin D and carotene, and its calcium, iron, and phosphorus levels are not sufficient. Therefore, when feeding livestock and poultry with soybean cake, it's important to supplement their diet with vitamins A and D, as well as calcium and phosphorus.
Third, never feed it raw. Raw soybean cake, especially soybean meal (produced through solvent extraction), contains anti-nutritional factors like trypsin inhibitors, urease, hemagglutinin, saponins, and goitrogens. Among these, trypsin inhibitor is the most problematic. Most of these substances are heat-sensitive, so cooking is necessary to improve its nutritional value. Typically, heating to 100-110°C is recommended. In rural areas, steaming for 30-50 minutes after boiling can also work. However, overheating may damage lysine and arginine, reducing their activity and potentially destroying cystine.
Lastly, avoid moldy or spoiled soybean cake. Since it contains about 5% fat, it’s prone to spoilage, leading to rancidity or bitterness, which reduces palatability. It should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place to prevent deterioration. Mold growth must also be prevented, as it can produce harmful toxins like aflatoxins, which are dangerous to animals. If mold is detected, the cake should not be fed to livestock or poultry to avoid poisoning.
By following these guidelines, soybean cake can be used safely and effectively as a valuable component of animal feed.
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