Fish meal – valuable component of combined feed
Fish meal is the most important raw material for the production of combined feeds. 1 kg contains 42 – 60 g of lysine, 21 – 30 g methionine + cystine and 9.9 – 14.5 mJ of exchange energy on average. The nutritional value of fish meal depends on species composition of fish used for preparation, season and place of catch, processing technology etc. The fish meal produced in different countries varies in content of crude protein and amino acids.
Application
Fish meal – one of the additives which contains all elements required for proper animal development:
• Concentrated protein.
• Fat acids omega – 3 DHA and ERA.
• Main amino acids: methionine, cystine, lysine, threonine and thryptophan.
• В group vitamins, including choline, biotin, vitamins В12, А and D.
Fish meal is made from fish production waste. It should make up between 2% to 10% of the ration depending on the application and need. Positive impact includes up to 15% improvement in feeding and 4% improvement in growth.
Fish meal is a source of high quality protein – one of the most valuable sources of protein, lysine, and the amino acid methionine. Therefore, it can be used to increase animal growth.
Inclusion of this additive ensures the provision of 100% digestible phosphorus and calcium, fats, vitamins A and D, and B group vitamins. In addition, fish meal reduces the dependence on synthetic amino acids. Fatty acids in fish meal also supplement the acids from vegetable proteins. The latter contain many polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-6, while fish meal is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3. Along with vegetable proteins, fish meal provides the optimal content ratio between omega-6 and omega-3, which should be in the range from 10 : 1 to 5 : 1.
The use of fish meal in animal feeding has a positive effect on the well-being of animals and the quality of animal products (meat, eggs, milk).