Nutritive Value of Crab Meal for Young Ruminating Calves

Three trials, utilizing 26 male Holstein calves, were to evaluate the nutritive value of dried crab meal in ruminant feeds. In ta'ials 1 and 2 crab meal (29% crude protein and 10% crude fiber) was substituted in amounts up to 20% for a basal ration (16% crude protein and 19% crude fiber) formulated to satisfy the National Research Council requirements for young rapidly growing animals. No declines were significant for body weight gain, feed intake, or feed efficiency in trials 1 and 2. Nitrogen digestion and retention were not altered by crab meal substitution in trial 1, but nitrogen retention was reduced by 20% crab meal substitution in trial 2. This reduction was associated with increased urine outputs. Crab meal rations contained excessive calcium, sodium, chlorine, and bromine which may have caused mineral imbalance increasing urine output. Digestibilities of dry matter, fiber, and calcium were not significantly different for basal and crab meal rations. Digestibility of chitin from the crab meal was measured as 66% but was highly variable from 26 to 87%. In trial 3 a crab meal addition was made to a protein-deficiernt ration (crude protein = 7.2%) resulting in a crude protein of 10.3%. Average daily gain and feed intake were higher for the supplemented ration.