Effects of different heat treatments during processing on nutrient digestibility of soybean meal in growing swine

Four soybean meals (SBM) were prepared in a commercial solvent-extraction plant to give a much wider range in heat treatment than is usually found among commercially available SBM. The meals were designated in ascending order of heat treatment as Under, Normal, Over and Rumen Escape. The Normal meal was processed using standard operating conditions. The Under meal received less heat treatment by reducing the steam pressure and retention time in the desolventizer-toaster. Over and Rumen Escape meals received further heat treatment in an additional four-compartment toaster. The Over meal received less heat treatment than the Rumen Escape meal by reducing steam pressure and retention time in both toasters. Crude protein content was similar for the four meals, but lysine tended to decrease with increasing heat treatment. In general, urease activity, trypsin inhibitor, protein dispersibility index and nitrogen solubility index decreased with increasing heat treatment. The +a Hunterlab color values increased as heat treatment increased. Apparent ileal digestibility of N and amino acids were similar for all meals (P greater than .05); however lysine digestibility for the Rumen Escape meal was 3.3 percentage units lower than the average of the lesser-heated meals. Energy digestibilities and nitrogen balance data were also similar (P greater than .05) for the four meals, but the apparent biological value of the Rumen Escape meal was 4.5 percentage units lower than the average of the other meals. There were no differences in nutritional value among the Under, Normal and Over meals, which represent the range in heat treatment usually found among SBM. The Rumen Escape meal, which received more severe heat treatment, tended to have lower nutritional value than the lesser-heated meals.