Including Soybean Soapstock In Layer Diets

The effects of increasing levels of soybean soapstock in layer diets on egg quality parameters and the fatty acid composition of egg yolk were studied. The treatments consisted of replacing 25, 50, 75 or 100% of the soybean oil in a commercial diet with soybean soapstock. During the 15-week experiment, the concentration of saturated fatty acids was not affected by soapstock treatment. Total monounsaturated fatty acid content of the yolk did not change over the period of the experiment, whereas, the long-chained polyunsaturated fatty acids increased in yolks of all diets. Hens fed the 100% soapstock treatment produced eggs with similar polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acid and n-6/n-3 ratios when compared with eggs from hens fed the commercial control diet. The researchers suggested that the lower cost of soapstock could provide an important economic benefit to its inclusion in commercial layer diets.

Pardio, V.T. and co-worker. 2005. The effect of soybean soapstock on the quality parameters and fatty acid composition of the hen egg yolk. Poultry Sci. 84(1): 148-157.