FISH SOLUBLES AS A PARTIAL SUBSTITUTE FOR MILK AND 

 MILK BY-PRODUCTS IN LIQUID RATIONS FOR NEONATAL ANIMALS 



Paul E. Bauersfeld, Jr., and Joseph H. Scares, Jr.' 



ABSTRACT 



This paper presents (1) a literature review of the use of fish protein in milk replacers 

 for neonatal animals, (2) a list of criteria for proteins used in milk replacers, and (3) 

 reports on three experiments in which menhaden fish solubles were partially substituted 

 for milk protein in milk replacer rations. 



Initial experiments reported here indicated that low levels (5%) of fish solubles pro- 

 duced equal calf growth when they replaced a similar amount of milk products in veal 

 calf rations. However, the addition of 15% freeze-dried solubles at the expense of dried 

 skim milk (DSM) did not produce satisfactory growth in young lambs. This was true 

 even when lecithinated soy flour or delactosed whey powder supplemented part of the 

 protein in the ration. Therefore, it is concluded that if significant quantities of fish pro- 

 tein are to be incorporated into milk replacer rations, protein of higher quality than that 

 present in fish solubles must be used. 



Attempts to develop a product suitable for re- 

 placing fresh whole milk for feeding calves oc- 

 curred in the early 1900's. However, due to the 

 lack of knowledge regarding calf nutrition, these 

 products were not very satisfactory. By the end 

 of the 1940's knowledge of the nutritional needs 

 of calves had developed to a point that made it 

 possible for satisfactory substitutes for whole 

 milk to be marketed. Today, milk replacers have 

 been refined to such an extent that many dairy- 

 men are reporting faster weight gains by feeding 

 milk replacers instead of fresh whole milk. Sev- 

 eral important developments contributed to this 

 improved performance. They include: (1) the 

 use of antibiotics, (2) the use of stabilized vita- 

 mins, and (3) the increased use of dried milk 

 proteins. Recently the use of milk replacers 

 has increased because of automation of feeding 

 techniques, their ease of handling and storing, 

 improved formulations, and the increased em- 

 phasis on salvaging orphan and runt animals 

 which would have previously have been lost by 

 the producer. 



' National Marine Fisheries Service, College Park 

 Fishery Products Technology Laboratory, College Park, 

 MD 20740. 



Manufacturers of milk replacers depend 

 largely upon dried skim milk (DSM) and dried 

 whey as the major ingredients. Because of the 

 continued high market price of DSM throughout 

 the world, feed manufacturers are looking for 

 lower priced substitutes to be used in their milk 

 replacer formulations. The superior value of 

 feeding milk solids as compared to vegetable 

 feedstuffs in milk replacers has been well dem- 

 onstrated (Huber, 1965). Therefore, it is the 

 purpose of this paper (1) to briefly review work 

 reported in the literature, (2) to list the criteria 

 necessary for proteins used in milk replacers, 

 and (3) to report the results of our work to de- 

 termine if fish solubles can be partially substi- 

 tuted for milk and milk products in liquid rations 

 for neonatal animals. 



REVIEW OF RECENT LITERATURE 



Harshbarger and Gelwicks (1965) reported 

 that calves fed a milk replacer containing 20% 

 low-fat fish meal performed as well as calves 

 that were receiving a 50% DSM replacer. Av- 

 erage daily gains and feed intakes at 12 weeks 

 of age were similar for all calves studied that 

 received either DSM or fish meal. 



Manuscript accepted April 1972. 



FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 70, NO. 4, 1972. 



1275 



