Feedmakers Assess Soy Protein Concentrate as Whey Costs Rise
Manufacturers are considering whether soy protein concentrate, or SPC, can take a larger role in animal-feed formulas. The ingredient is already used in some products and is being assessed for formulas that still rely on dairy protein sources. The review covers feed for piglets, calves, poultry, fish, shrimp and companion animals.
Bruno Wernick, technical sales manager at Rio Pardo Proteína Vegetal, said SPC is most suitable for diets requiring high digestibility, particularly during early development. In pre-starter and starter feed for recently weaned piglets, it can partly replace skimmed milk, powdered whey and fishmeal. Its use in these formulas is associated with high digestibility and a very low level of anti-nutritional factors.
Wernick also identified calves up to seven weeks old as a potential application. At that stage, he said, their digestive system is closer to that of monogastric animals than to that of ruminants. He also cited feed for chicks, dogs, cats, fish and shrimp. Research from Aquadvise in Chile, the Federal University of Viçosa and São Paulo State University reported digestibility rates for plant-based soy concentrates of more than 98% in salmon, 94.32% in pigs and 83.7% in poultry.
Quimtia, which makes feed and premixes for cattle, pigs, poultry, aquatic organisms, companion animals and zoo animals, is among the companies assessing the ingredient. Betina Odebrecht, a buyer at the company, said the search for alternatives reflects irregular supply and price fluctuations affecting dairy derivatives. She said availability was under significant pressure for both whey and whey protein concentrates.
Odebrecht said animal nutrition requires strict standards for quality and nutritional composition, as well as certification across the supply chain, especially for ingredients from animals. She described the number of available alternatives as limited. Interest in plant-based concentrates has increased, while adoption by the industry remains gradual. Wernick said companies already using SPC could increase its share in their formulas, while those that do not use it are evaluating the ingredient as whey supplies become less available.
Pressure on whey is also linked to demand for whey protein and other protein products for human consumption. StoneX data showed that the price of WPC 80 rose by between 90% and 105% over 12 months. Lower milk production in Europe has further affected supply. Wernick cited a Rio Pardo distributor in the Netherlands, where a 900-gram package of whey rose from about US$7, equivalent to roughly R$35, to around €16, or approximately R$95.
Imports have also become more important in Goiás. The state imported 374.4 tonnes of whey in the first half of the year, 17.9% more than in the same period of 2025, according to Odebrecht. Whey, supplied mainly by Argentina, represented 87.2% of Goiás’s dairy-product purchases. She said competition with human nutrition products was intensifying.
