EFFECT OF SOAKING PERIOD ON THE PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF SOYBEAN USED IN FORMULATING MILK REPLACER FOR CALVES

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of soaking period on the proximate composition (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, fibre, fat, ash, carbohydrate. acid detergent fibre- neutral detergent fibre and energy) and (moisture, pH, titratable acidity, solid non fat, protein, total solid, fat and ash contents) of soybeans both on dry and wet matter basis respectively. Raw seeds of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril) were sun-dried and milled which serves as the control (sample A); soaked for 12h at room temperature (34±2 DC) dehulled, sun-dried and milled (sample B); soaked for 24h, sun-dried and milled (sample C); soaked for 48h, sun-dried and milled (sample D) and soaked for 72h sun-dried and milled (sample E). Results from the proximate composition showed that dry matter content of the samples ranged from 95.53 (sample D) to 96.91% (sample A); crude protein content ranged from 40.28 (sample A) to 46.60% (sample C); crude fibre content ranged from 5.16 (sample C) to 9.50% (sample A); and crude fat content ranged from 14.1 1 (sample A) to 29.55% (sample E). The control (sample A) recorded the highest ash, carbohydrate, NDF, ADF and Hemicellulose contents of (8.47.24.55, 60.19, 49.98, 10.21%) respectively, while sample D recorded the highest energy content (5631.61 MJ/kgDM). Total solid and solid non-fat were highest in sample D (7.01 and 6.85) respectively. On the other hand, length of soaking period decreases the pH of the samples, but there was an increase in titratable acidity across the samples. In conclusion, the study showed that period of soaking improves the proximate composition of the product.