Le33 than 25 percent of the total waste of processing plants is 

 used in the production of shrimp meal. Production is confined to Louisiana 

 and the Carolinas. 



Among the factors limiting the production of shrimp meal ai'e the 

 laclc of low- cost machinery for drying and grinding the waste in the smaller 

 and somewhat isolated processing plants, and the limited and unstable 

 market for the product. 



Shrimp meal is in direct competition irith fish meal, in that 

 both are used in the preparation of poultry and animal feeds. Of the two 

 products fish meal \ri.th its higher protein content is more valuable. Be- 

 cause of this product relationship the market for shrimp meal is influenced 

 by the available supplies of fish meal and the extent of the price spread 

 between the two products. 



Average protein content of shrimp meal today is only about 38 

 percent as against over 50 percent some years ago. This is due to the 

 more effective method of peeling by means of automatic peeling machines 

 now in use in canneries; when shrimp is peeled by machine, less shrimp 

 meat clings to the hulls, small particles arc loc;t in the wash water and 

 the protein content of the merd, consequently, is lessened. With hand 

 peelers twenty poanda to tue barrul was the normal yield. More recently 

 the yield haa been only about twelve pounds to the barrel. 



Shrimp meal at one time v/as more nearly competitive with fish 

 meal from a quality standpoint than it is today. This is indicated by 

 the folloiTing data supplied by Manning in connection with a chemical 

 analysis of shrimp in 193^^ ^IZ 



TABLE V - 66." CHEl^ICAL 

 AimKfSIS OF SHRD'IP MEAL 



Percent 



Moisture 9.00 



Crude protein 5^)-.51 



Crude ash I8.O3 

 Ether extract 2.86 



Undetermined 15. 60 



2]/ J. R. Manning, Value of Shrimp Meal , United States Bureau of Fisheries 

 Memo., S-328 (193^). 



30U 



