Soybean meal (SBM) is widely recognized as the main protein source in swine diets due to its favorable amino acid (AA) profile and availability in the market. However, the nutritional value of SBM can vary based on its origin, impacting the levels of energy and AA available to swine. Two experiments were conducted to determine the energy (Exp. 1) and amino acids (Exp. 2) value of SBM from seven origins [US: Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), South, and East; Brazil (Bra), Argentina (Arg), and a reimported US (Re-US)] fed to growing pigs. For Exp. 1, a corn-based basal diet and seven corn-based diets containing the different SBM sources were formulated. This study involved 24 barrows (35 ± 2 kg) randomly assigned to 8 experimental diets in a crossover design with three collection periods (9 observations/trt). Each experimental period consisted of 14 days, 7 days for adaptation to the diets, followed by 7 days of urine and feces collection using the marker-to-marker approach. Excreta, urine, and diet samples were analyzed for gross energy (GE); digestible (DE) and metabolize energy (ME) were calculated. For Exp. 2, eleven cannulated barrows (29 ± 3 kg) were assigned to dietary treatments in a crossover design with six experimental periods of 7 days (5 days of adaptation followed by 12 hours of ileal digesta collection on days 6 and 7). Digesta was analyzed for CP, AA, and titanium, and standardized ileal digestibility (SID) values were calculated. In Exp. 1, there was no significant differences in DE and ME across SBM samples (Corn 3319, Arg 3326, Bra 3299, Re-US 3388, NW 3175, NE 3179, US South 3252, and US east 3348 kcal/kg). In Exp. 2, there was no significant differences (P >0.05) in the SID of Met and Trp. However, there were differences (P < 0.05) in SID of CP, Lys, Thr, and Trp, with SBM from Arg having a higher SID compared to Bra and Re-US. When looking at US origins, US east SBM consistently presented the greatest SID values for the majority of AA with NE having the lowest values. In conclusion, the energy value of SBM was not different across US and international origins. Argentina and US east SBM appear to have a greater AA digestibility, which could be associated with SBM processing as we observed a lower KOH value and lower concentration of trypsin inhibitors in these samples.

Salamanca, A., A. Infante, C. Levesque and J. Palencia. 2025. Differentiating nutritional value (Energy and Amino acids) of soybean meal from various origins fed to swine. 

2025 American Society of Animal Science Midwest Section meeting, Abstract PSII-13.