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Soybean meal processing has one awkward feature: Too little heat and too much heat can both reduce its feeding value. The crude protein result may remain acceptable in either case. That is why a standard certificate showing protein, fiber and moisture does not always tell the full story.
Heat is needed to reduce trypsin inhibitors and other heat-sensitive antinutritional factors. Insufficient processing can therefore impair protein digestion, particularly in young birds. Excessive heat creates a different problem. Maillard reactions can bind lysine, reducing its availability even when total lysine still looks satisfactory.
