Effect of presolvent extraction processing method on the nutritional value of soybean meal for chicks

This study evaluated the effect of extruding or expander processing prior to solvent extraction on the nutritional value of soybean meal (SBM). Three samples of SBM containing 100% nonexpander SBM, 100% expander SBM, or a mixture of nonexpander and expander SBM were obtained from a commercial plant. An experiment was conducted using Peterson x Hubbard commercial male broiler chicks fed 20% CP corn-SBM-corn gluten meal diets from 8 to 21 d of age. The experiment had a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial design, with three SBM types, two levels of Met + Cys (0.77 and 0.90%), and two levels of Lys (0.95 and 1.20%). Processing method had no effect on the amino acid concentration or protein solubility of the SBM. Dietary treatment had no significant effect on chick weight gain or feed intake. Feed efficiency was significantly improved (P < 0.05) by Met and Lys supplementation, but SBM processing method had no significant effect. The results of this study indicate that presolvent processing method (expander or nonexpander) had no significant effect on the nutritional value of SBM for broiler chicks.