Dietary evaluation of low-oligosaccharide soybean meal in pigs

Abstract

To evaluate the potential benefit of low oligosaccharide soybean meal (LOSBM) in the diets of early-weaned pigs, three experiments were performed by replacing conventional soybean meal (cSBM) with LOSBM. Low oligosaccharide soybean meal has a higher CP content than SBM. The interaction between LOSBM and the use of fishmeal and spray dried porcine plasma (FM/SDPP) was also evaluated during the nursery phase of the study. The objective of study 1 was to evaluate the effect of LOSBM on growth performance, viscosity of intestinal content, intestinal morphology, organ weights and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) in early-weaned pigs during 14 d post weaning. Four phase 1 diets used were corn-SBM or corn-LOSBM with or without supplementation of FM/SDPP in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. There was no interaction between FM/SDPP and the sources of soybean meal for the parameters studied. Treatments had no effect on growth performance, organ weight and intestinal length. No effect of treatment was observed for ileal crypt depth, jejunal crypt depth and ileal villi height. However, jejunal villi height was greater (P = 0.01) in pigs with cSBM diet. Levels of BUN were higher (P = 0.01) in pigs fed LOSBM diet and replacing cSBM with LOSBM reduced (P = 0.01) the viscosity of intestinal content. The objective of study 2 was to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of DM, energy, N, ADF and NDF by grower pigs fed corn-LOSBM and corn-SBM diets in two different adaptation periods (5d and 7d). Grower pigs cannulated at ileo-cecal junction were randomly allotted to one of two dietary treatments. Treatment 1 consisted of conventional corn-SBM diet and treatment 2 consisted of corn-LOSBM. Replacing SBM with LOSBM improved percent AID of DM (P < 0.01), energy (P < 0.01) and ADF (P < 0.01). Similarly pigs fed LOSBM had improved ATTD of DM (P < 0.01), energy (P < 0.01) and ADF (P < 0.01). Study 3 was conducted to determine the effect of replacing cSBM with LOSBM on growth performance and carcass characteristics of pigs from wean to finish. Dietary treatments were fed in 6 phases based on a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement with 2 levels of FM/SDPP (none or phases 1 to 3) and 3 levels of LOSBM inclusion (none, phases 1 to 3, or phases 1 to 6). There was no interaction between FM/SDPP in nursery and LOSBM in any phase for ADG, ADFI or G:F. Replacing SBM with LOSBM resulted in gains in piglets feed efficiency (phase 1 and 2, P< 0.01) and piglets fed FM/SDPP had improved ADG (P < 0.01) and feed efficiency (P < 0.05) only in phase 2. Neither treatment factor affected live weight, carcass weight, fat or loin depth, percent lean, percent yield, grade or value. The early improvements did not affect overall performance from wean to finish, nor did they affect the final carcass characteristics. In summary, replacing cSBM with LOSBM did not affect the performance of the pigs. It seems that young pigs can better tolerate LOSBM as it decreased the viscosity of intestinal content. Improved ileal digestibility of nutrients in LOSBM in compared to cSBM may be beneficial for pigs. Key words: