Soybean Replacement by Alternative Protein Sources in Pig Nutrition and Its Effect on Meat Quality

Soybean is the most common feed ingredient to supply protein to pigs. However,its production is linked to several issues related to environment (e.g., deforestation, water waste),production and transportation costs, as well as to ethical aspects including feed/food competition forland. In recent decades, research has endeavored to find alternatives to soybean in livestock feeds,especially for pigs. However, replacing this ingredient partially or totally may have consequences foranimal growth rates, carcass yield and meat quality. The aim of this work was to review the researchcarried out in the last 10 years on this topic, identifying the alternative protein sources and theireffects on pigs’ growth, carcass yield, and meat quality. Most of the ingredients recently studied arevegetable resources, especially local species of legumes well-adapted to specific climatic conditions.Moreover, some studies evaluated, as protein sources, oilseed by- and co-products, distillers’ driedgrain with solubles, fish and animal proteins, and other co-products derived from other supply chains.Among innovative protein sources, microalgae and insects are gaining attention. (PDF) Soybean Replacement by Alternative Protein Sources in Pig Nutrition and Its Effect on Meat Quality. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367990045_Soybean_Replacement_by_Alternative_Protein_Sources_in_Pig_Nutrition_and_Its_Effect_on_Meat_Quality [accessed Feb 03 2023].