A comparison of the effects of raw and heated soya-bean meal in diets for germ-free and conventional chicks

Abstract

1. Chicks were reared to 3 weeks in a germ-free or conventional environment on diets containing 50% raw or heated soya-bean meal. Body-weights and pancreas weights were determined and the proteolytic and amylolytic enzymes in the pancreas were measured. In one experiment the contents of the intestinal tract were analysed for their content of nitrogenous compounds.2. The growth of chicks given raw soya was depressed below that of controls given heated soya, and the growth depression was significantly greater in the conventional compared with the germ-free environment.3. The pancreases of chicks given raw soya were significantly larger than those given heated soya. The degree of enlargement was similar in both environments. The concentration of α-amylase was lower in the enlarged pancreases, but the total amount per pancreas was similar to that in the normal pancreases. Conversely, the concentration of proteolytic enzymes was the same or greater in the enlarged pancreases, which had significantly greater total content of proteases than did the normal pancreases.4. There was evidence of impaired protein digestion in the birds given the raw soya diets. Their gut contents contained larger amounts of insoluble matter, with higher nitrogen content, and the soluble fraction contained more nitrogen present as ‘protein’, with correspondingly less ‘peptide’ and ‘amino acid’, than did similar samples from birds given heated soya. No differences were observed in this respect between germ-free and conventional birds.5. It was concluded that the gut microflora exacerbated the growth-depressing effect on chicks of raw soya meal. Possible explanations are advanced.