The present work was aimed at studying simple methods for processing f
ullfat soybean, and at designing soy-based milk replacers suitable for
goat kids. Soybean was roasted at 100 degrees C for 10 (HSF10) or 30
(HSF30) min. The residual antitryptic activity and immunoreactive glyc
inin and beta-conglycinin, respectively, were 40, 17 and 5% for HSF10,
and 20, 6 and 3% for HSF30, of those in raw soybean. Milk replacers c
ontaining 24% CP and 22% fat were prepared. In the control diet, skim
milk powder and sweet whey provided 95 and 5% of total protein, respec
tively. In the soy-based diets, 45% of total protein was from either t
he HSF10 or the HSF30 flour, the remainder being provided by skim milk
powder and sweet whey (45 and 10% of total protein, respectively). Th
ese diets were given as liquid milk replacers to 20 goat kids (n = 6,
8 and 6 for control, HSF10 and HSF30 treatments, respectively) between
14 and 50 days of age. Nutrient digestibility and N balance were meas
ured twice over 5 days starting at 26 and 40 days of age. Growth and D
M intake were not significantly different between treatments. The dige
stibility of N was lower for the soy-based diets as compared with the
control diet. It did not change significantly over time for the contro
l and HSF10 diets (average values of 0.915 and 0.67, respectively) but
it increased significantly from 0.70 to 0.80 for HSF30 between the tw
o measurement periods. Direct skin tests carried out with soybean prot
ein extracts after the second measurement period revealed only delayed
reactions to HSF10 extracts in the HSF10 group. Roasting fullfat soyb
ean at 100 degrees C for 30 min appeared to provide a milk replacer in
gredient nutritionally more acceptable for rearing kids than roasting
for 10 min. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.