5 Effective and Unique Facts to Know About Animal Protein

Animals require proper nutrition and nourishment to develop properly. Nutrition is one of the most expensive parts of rearing production animals, accounting for 70% of the operational costs, with protein indicating the highest value at 33.3%. Protein is a significant part of a balanced and healthy animal diet. This diverse and highly evolved class of molecules performs endless functions in animals, such as repairing and building muscles and other tissues, forming new skin cells, producing energy, and strengthening the immune system. Protein in animal diets also helps to make body chemicals, like enzymes and hormones required for normal function.

Proteins are made of amino acids that the animal body uses to make more proteins. Though animals can make half the required proteins, the rest should come from their regular food. Protein deficiency in animals may cause several health problems, like poor growth, reduced hair coat, and decreased appetite. Here, look at a few more effective and unique facts about protein in animal diets.

Soy Is the Most Widely Used Plant-Based Protein for Animals

Soy is an important legume, rich in superior-quality proteins and edible oil. Soy derivatives have pleasant sensory features and high nutritional value and are thus used extensively as animal protein ingredients. Soy protein concentrate is one of the most widely used plant-based protein sources worldwide. It offers a minimum of 70% protein when used in products intended for animal nutrition, along with the advantage of not presenting any anti-nutritional elements.

The spatial arrangement of peptides in different soy derivatives offers intermolecular interactions with other components and proteins of the animal food matrix, improving paste formation and gelatinization. The hydrophilic properties of soy derivatives enable proper adhesiveness, viscosity, and solubility of animal feed products.

Soy protein can also help to manage several illnesses like liver diseases and bladder stones in animals. It is gentler on the organs, making it more beneficial than any other animal protein.

Bone and Meat Meal Is a Mineral Rich Animal Protein

Bone and meat meal made of animal tissues and bones from sheep, cattle, and swine butchery is one of the best sources of protein for animals. This product contains 48% to 52% protein, 33% to 35% minerals, 8% to 12% fat, and 4% to 7% water. The two most important minerals in this meal include phosphorus and calcium. However, bone and meat meal has high variations in composition as there is no standard proportion between meat and bone tissues. This meal’s protein amount is inversely proportional to its mineral content, meaning low protein content due to high mineral content. Also, it is widely commercialized for its crude protein concentration ranging from 35% to 55%.

Enzymatic Hydrolysis Improves the Digestibility of High-Protein Poultry Meal

Poultry processing offers several by-products, like viscera, heads, fat, blood, bones, carcasses, and skin, which make a high-protein viscera meal. The crude protein content of poultry meals ranges from 55% to 70% based on bone concentration. However, its digestibility value decreases because other ingredients with varied digestibility rates are used during the cooking procedure. Fortunately, a procedure known as enzymatic hydrolysis improves the digestibility of poultry meals by producing functional peptides that guarantee the maximum performance of animal feeds produced with it.

Functional Peptides Are Beneficial Proteins for Animals

Functional peptides are a short series of food proteins made of 2 to 20 amino acid residues condensed in a single molecule. They form through the fermentation or digestion of intact proteins and have beneficial physiological effects on animals when used in nutrition. Moreover, these functional ingredients improve intestinal function, morphology, and resistance to infectious diseases in animals like calves, pigs, fish, chickens, and companion animals. Doing so improves their feed efficiency, growth performance, health, and well-being. 

Although more research is necessary to understand the benefits of these functional peptides for animals, it is clear that they are highly beneficial for animals that ingest these molecules regularly. So, including more of these ingredients in animal feed formulations will be a good idea.

Protein requirements Vary From One Animal to the Other

The best sources of protein for animals include soy, meat, and a few grains. An animal’s body cannot store protein in the same way as it stores fat and various other nutrients. Therefore, supplying this nutrient in an animal’s regular diet is essential. However, the protein requirements of an animal may vary as per its activity level and age. Those that work very hard may require more proteins than those that do not get much workout.

Lactating, pregnant, injured, and sick animals also require high doses of protein to meet their body requirements. Larger animals also need large amounts of protein for proper health and muscle growth. Animals’ protein requirements decrease as they age, but it is still necessary.

Also, understand that though animals require a good amount of protein, they can retain only 25% to 50%. This low-efficiency nitrogen retention hampers the ecology and economics of animal production.

Conclusion

So, these are some exclusive and effective facts about animal protein. Remember, animals require nutrients, not ingredients, and they can get these from different food sources. It’s all about reviewing overall nutrition levels when choosing food for animals. You must work on a healthy balance of carbs, proteins, and fats with a proper breakdown of fatty acids, fiber, and amino acids for them. This way, all the animals can stay healthy.