Utilization of Energy from Soybean Products by Young Pigs

Abstract

The major products of soybean processing are soybean oil, hulls and meal. Although soybean meals are used in swine diets to provide a supply of amino acids, they also contribute to the energy content of the diet. The utilization of energy or energy value of soybean products has been determined for dehulled soybean meal, but little information is available for other products of soybean processing. The following terms are used to describe the utilization of dietary energy by pigs: Gross Energy, Digestible Energy, Metabolizable Energy, and Net Energy. The energy from soybean hulls was poorly digested, but the digested energy was used for Metabolizable Energy that was similar to the other soybean products. The inclusion of soybean hulls in soybean meal resulted in lower digestibility of energy than dehulled soybean meal. The digested energy was used for Metabolizable Energy and Net Energy with efficiencies similar to that of dehulled soybean meal.