The Unidentified Growth Factor Activity and Supplemental Feeding Value of Commercial Fish Meals of Known Processing History

FISH MEALS have long been fed to poultry for their vitamin and growth factor activity and for their supplemental protein feeding value. Although the value of fish meals for these purposes is widely recognized, little work has been performed to determine whether these factors are related, or whether known variables in processing of the meal can affect the contents of these factors in the meal. The availability of a number of fish meals of known processing history and composition which were being tested in an extensive research program (Snyder et al., 1962; Potter et al., 1962; and Ousterhout and Snyder, 1962) suggested that it would be worthwhile to determine their unidentified growth factor (UGF) activity and supplemental feeding value in a practical diet made up largely of corn and soybean oil meal. EXPERIMENTAL AND RESULTS Fish Meal Samples Six menhaden fish meals and one redfish meal were furnished by the …