Enzyme-treated soybean meal in diets for weanling pigs

Objective:The objective of the present contribution is to provide a summary of the nutritional value of enzyme-treated soybean meal (ESBM) and review effects of ESBM on growth performance of weanling pigs.Guidelines for inclusion rates of ESBM in diets for weanling pigs will also be provided based on the published literature. Methods:The literature review was conducted in May 2024 by searching Google Scholar and PubMed for experiments in which ESBM was included in diets for weanling pigs, using Boolean queries implemented with Biopython/Entrez.A total of 24 unique papers were identified.These papers were manually reviewed by reading to verify their relevance to the specific topics of composition, digestibility, and health/performance outcomes.Results: Enzyme-treated soybean meal contains 48.3% to 57.7% crude protein, is rich in amino acids, and has elevated small-peptide fractions.Anti-nutritional factors such as raffinose and stachyose were reduced by 50% and 90% , respectively, compared with conventional soybean meal (SBM), and trypsin inhibitors are reduced to 1.7 units per mg.Enzyme-treated SBM also contains more fiber, but less monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, than SBM.Enzyme-treated SBM was associated with fewer gastrointestinal disturbances, favorable changes in intestinal microbiota, and improved intestinal barrier indices.In most experiments, pigs fed ESBM had improved growth performance and less diarrhea compared with pigs fed diets containing conventional SBM.Most experiments that examined the nutritional value of ESBM concluded that ESBM supports improved nutrient utilization, growth performance, and health in weanling pigs and on average, inclusion rates of 4% to 10% is recommended.