The Evaluation of the Nutritive Content of Fish Meals by Chemical Methods

Abstract NUMEROUS STUDIES during the past several decades have demonstrated the value of unidentified growth factors, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and energy (protein and fat); thus, in a general way the value of this product in the feeding of poultry and other farm animals is well known. Such knowledge, however, is not sufficient to ensure the best use of fish meal since the economics of feed formulation demand detailed information on the essential nutrients that are provided by each ingredient in the ration and on the variations in nutrient content and quality which might reasonably be expected to occur. In the light of this demand, the adequacy of the nutritional data on fish meal is questionable. To help supply some of the desired information, the U. S. Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, in cooperation with a number of other research agencies and fish meal manufacturers, recently undertook a detailed study of …