Comparative feeding values of soybean hulls and wheat bran for growing and finishing swine

Feeding values of soybean hulls (SH) were compared to those of wheat bran (WB) for swine diets by chemical compositions, a digestion trial, a preference test by self-selection, and two feeding trials. The SH and the WB appeared to have, on airdry basis, 11.1 vs. 15.4% CP, 32.5 vs. 8.7% crude fiber (CF), 36.8 vs. 10.7% ADF, 0.6 vs. 0.1% Ca, and 492 vs. 92 ppm Fe, respectively. Lysine and total sulfur-containing amino acids in the SH were 0.66 vs. 0.37%, respectively. Apparent digestibility values of the SH were 71% for dry matter, 50% for CP, and 74% for CF. Apparent digestible energy and MEn values of the SH were 2,420 and 2,370 kcal kg^-1, respectively, which were comparable to those of the WB, 2,420 and 2,275 kcal kg^-1 (NRC, 1998), respectively. The first feeding trial was conducted with 72 crossbred growing pigs with an average weight of 29.6 kg. The pigs when fed the diets containing 0, 6 and 10% SH by replacing the WB on a weight basis for 42 days did not show significant differences in body weight gain and feed/gain ratio among the treatments. The same trends were observed in the second trial with 60 crossbred finishing pigs with an average weight of 64.5 kg when fed the diets containing 12% SH or WB for 41 days. Back-fat thickness and adjusted loin eye muscle area of the finisher pigs were also not significantly different between the two groups. When allowed to self-select from two different feed troughs containing 10% SH or WB for two weeks, two groups of 80 pigs with 10 pigs per pen consumed the two diets exactly in equal proportion. In conclusion, the soybean hulls can be included up to 10 and 12% for growing or finishing pig diets, respectively, replacing the wheat bran on a weight basis without any adverse effects on palatability of diets and animal performances.