Lectins Produce No Antinutritional Effects in Turkey Experiments

Soybean lectins are known to produce antinutritional effects in laboratory rodents. Two experiments were conducted at Auburn University to determine the effects of soybean lectins on growth performance and nutrient digestibility of young turkey poults. The experimental diets were a corn starch-casein (lectin-free) control diet; the control diet contained either 0.24 or 0.48 percent lectin; and a corn-soybean meal diet. The experimental diets were fed from hatching to 14 days. Antibodies specific to soybean lectins were detected in the serum of poults fed the lectin supplemented diets indicating the lectins were active in the digestive tract. Performance of the corn-soybean meal diet, the 0.24 percent lectin diet and control diet were similar. The higher lectin treatment had variable feed utilization efficiencies. The researchers concluded that soybean lectins present up to 0.24 percent of the diet would not cause antinutritional effects in turkey poults up to two weeks of age.

Fasina, Y.O. and co-workers. 2004. Response of turkey poults to soybean lectin levels typically encountered in commercial diets. 1. Effect on growth and nutrient digestibility. Poultry Sci. 83(9): 1559-1571.