Effect of soybean meal origin on standardized ileal amino acid digestibility in piglets

The present study with piglets was conducted to estimate standardized ileal digestibility (SID) of AA in European Union soybean (Glycine max) meal (SBM) imports sourced from Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. Twelve piglets with an average initial BW of 9 kg (47 d of age) were fitted with a simple ileal T-cannula to determine SID of AA in 4 batches of SBM originating either from Argentina (n = 1), Brazil (n = 1), or the United States (n = 2; US1 and US2). A semisynthetic diet based on corn (Zea mays) starch and casein (125 g casein/kg as-fed) was supplemented with 1 of 4 batches SBM at an inclusion rate of 235 g SBM/kg (as-fed) each. The chemical composition did not differ largely, with CP contents ranging from 458 in Argentinean to 461 g/kg (as-fed) in US1 SBM. The SID of indispensable AA ranged from 80% in US2 SBM to 83% in Argentinean SBM and from 74% for Trp in US2 and Brazilian SBM to 91% for Arg in US2, Brazilian, and Argentinean SBM. Most SID values did not differ among the SBM batches (P > 0.05). In conclusion, European SBM imports from Brazil, Argentina, or the United Sates were similar in their chemical composition. For most AA, high and uniform SID values were obtained independent from their source of origin.