PEPSIN AND PANCREATIN SUPPLEMENTATION OF CALF MILK REPLACER CONTAINING SOY PROTEIN

Abstract

An attempt was made to improve the digestibility of soy proteins (promine D) in milk replacers for young calves by supplementing the diets with pepsin and/or pancreatin preparations. Calves fed the basal soy milk replacer from 3 to 31 days of age had an average gain of 0.198 kg/day; those fed a skim powder control gained 0.443 kg/day. Supplementation of the basal soy milk replacer with 0.5% (of dry matter (DM)) pancreatin or 0.5% pepsin, or both treatments together, had a detrimental effect on calf performance, reducing gains to 0.106, 0.034 and −0.049 kg/day, respectively. Supplementation of soy replacer with these enzymes, separately or together, also reduced apparent digestibility of DM, N and lipid but had no effect on feed intakes.