Soybean Meal-Dogs

University of Kentucky researchers determined the digestibility of dog foods containing low-oligosaccharide whole soybeans, low-oligosaccharide, low-phytate whole soybeans, soybean meal and/or low-ash poultry meal. Eight mature dogs were fed the experimental diets in a 4x4 Latin square designed experiment. Results indicated that these soy protein diets could be good sources of protein for canine foods and have high digestibilities similar to poultry meal. No significant differences were observed between the diets containing low-oligosaccharide whole soybeans, low-oligosaccharide, low-phytate whole soybeans indicating that phytate (0.015g/kg DM) had no significant effect on dry matter, nitrogen or amino acid digestibilities. The apparent digestibilities of total amino acids at the ileum in cannulated dogs fed the poultry meal and soybean meal based diets were 82.9% and 75.9%, respectively. The coefficient for total tract apparent digestibility of dry matter was highest for the poultry meal diet (91.3%) and lowest for the whole soybean diets (85.6%) thus increasing the fecal output of the dogs fed the whole soybean diets.

Yamka, R.M., S.E. Kitts and D.L. Harmon. 2005. Evaluation of low-oligosaccharides and low-oligosaccharide low-phytate whole soya beans in canine foods. Animal Science and Technology 120: 79-91.