Biological Evaluation of the Factors Affecting the Protein Quality of Fish Meals

FISH meals have been used for many years as protein concentrates and as source of unidentified factors in animal feeds. The high protein content and the excellent amino acid balance make fish meal a very valuable dietary protein supplement. In addition there is ample evidence showing that fish meals contain accessory growth factors when added to diets considered to be complete otherwise. (Moeller and Scott, 1956; Ritchey, 1957; Rand et al., 1958.) It has been recognized that within the general class of commercial fish meals there is a great variation in nutritive value both in respect to their protein quality and potency in unidentified growth factors, supplementing practical rations. (Bender and Haizelden, 1957; McIntyre, 1957.) In anticipation of the manufacture of fish meal and fish flour, we became interested in a short term bioassay that would assist in controlling the effects of the processing procedure on the nutritive value of…