Fish Flour as a Protein Source in Calf Milk Replacers

J. T. HUBEW and L. M. SLADE "~

Department of Dairy Science
Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Blacksburg

Abstract utilization of animal proteins other than milk

Substitution of varying levels of fish and milk products (2, 10).
flour protein for skimmilk protein in calf Favorable responses in growth have been
milk replacers was studied in growth and reported for fish protein fed to simple-stomach
balance trials, using 108 Holstein calves. animals (7, 8, 12). However, little information
The effect of dietary fat on growth re- is available on its use in milk replacers for
sponses to fish flour also was investigated. calves. This study was designed to investigate
Milk replacers (diluted to 15% dry replacement of skimmilk protein with fish pro-
matter) furnished the only source of nu- tein in milk replacers for young calves. The
trients to calves in growth and balance source of fish protein was defatted fish meal
trials. and will be designated as fish flour.
Average daily gains and feed efficiencies
were not significantly depressed when fish Experimental Procedure
flour furnished up to 40% of the dietary In four trials, 108 male and female Holstein
protein. However, at 60 to 67% nmrked calves were fed milk replacers containing vary-
decreases (P < .01) were observed; and ing levels of fish flour, for evaluation of effects
at 100%, death occurred. The animals on growth and nutrient utilization.
which succumbed at the 100% level ap- Trial 1 was a growth study in which fish
peared normal to about 3 weeks, but be- flour furnished 0, 20, 40, and 60% of the
came listless, emaciated, and refused their protein in the milk replacer. An ingredient
rations during the fourth week of treat- composition of replacers is listed in Table 1.
ment, and died shortly thereafter. A Thirty-two Holstein calves (12 males and 20
linear increase (P < .05) in gains was females) were allotted to four treatments on
noted as fat content of replacers increased the basis of time of birth. Calves received
from 10 to 20% (on a dry basis). How- colostrum from 0 to 3 days and nfilk replacer
ever, no interaction between fat level and as the only food from 3 to 45 days. Replacers
protein source was detected. were diluted to 15% solids and fed by nipple
Digestibilities of dry matter, crude pro- pail at 8% of body weight from 3 to 16 days,
tein, ether extract, and ash decreased as 10% from 17 to 45 days, and 5% from 46 to
amount of fish flour in milk replacers in- 52 days.
creased. Digestibility of crude protein in From 45 to 87 days, heifer calves were of-
fish flour averaged about 80% compared fered alfalfa-orehardgrass hay ad libitum and
to 90% for skimmilk protein. The per cent a commercial calf starter (up to 1.82 kg/day).
of digested nitrogen retained was sig- l~[ale calves were sold at 45 days. Calves were
nificantly depressed (P < .05) only when weighed weekly and measured for heart girth
fish flour furnished 100% of the dietary circumference and wither height at 3 and 45
protein. days.
Trial 2 was also a growth study using a
Poor growth and low protein digestibilities 3 × 3 factorial design. Fish flour content of
have resulted from incorporation of vegetable the replacers was varied so that it furnished
proteins into milk replacers for young' calves 0, 33, and 67% of the protein. Three levels
(6, 16, 17). Studies have also shown poor of fat (10, 15, and 20% of the dry matter)
comprised the other variable. Fifty-four female
Received for publication March 1, 1967. Holstein calves (six per group) were used.
1 Present address: Dairy Department, Michigan Feeding, weighing, and measuring schedules
State University, East Lansing. were similar to those for Trial 1. It was orig-
" Present address: Animal Science Department, inally intended to include diets in which fish
University of California, Davis. flour furnished 100% of the protein; but, after
1296
 FISH FLOUR FOR CALVES 1297

TABLE 1
Ingredient and proxinmte composition of diets used in fish flour trials"
Protein from fish flour ( % )
Ingredient (%) 0 20 33 40 60 67 1O0
Dried skimniilk 63.9 50.4 42.8 37.9 25.2 21.1
Lactose b 26.0 33.6 37.5 40.3 47.0 49.2 6ii0
Fish flour ° 5.9 9.6 11.7 17.7 19.6 28.9
Emulsified lard oil a 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0 10.0
Proxiniate
component (%)
Crude protein 21.8 23.4 22.4 23.2 23.7 22.6 21.4
NFE 63.3 61.5 62.5 62.0 61.2 62.0 62.4
Ether extract 10.1 10.4 10.3 10.2 10.4 10.5 10.4
Ash 4.7 4.8 4.7 4.6 4.6 4.8 5.7
" All diets contained 2,200 I U / k g of vitamins A m~d D3 (furnished courtesy Dawes Labora-
tories, Inc., Chicago, IlL) and 248 mg of ehlortetraeyeline/kg (furnished courtesy American
Cyanamid Company, Princeton, N. J.).
Furnished courtesy Foremost Dairies, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
Furnished courtesy ¥ioBin Corp., Monticello, Ill. Extraction of fat from fish meal was by
the azeotropie method, using ethylene dichloride as the organic solvent. Fish flour was ana.-
lyzed to contain the following on a dry basis: crude protein, 73.4% ; ether extract, 1.5% ; ash,
19.8%; N F E , 4.7%.
a Furnished courtesy Milk Specialties, Ink., Dundee, Ill. In Trial 2, three levels of emulsified
lard oil (10, 15, and 20% on a dry basis) were fed at each level of fish flour.

the first two calves had succumbed on this diet, similar f o r the control, 20, and 40% treatments,
this treatment was dropped. but significantly depressed ( P < .01) at 60%
Trials 3 and 4 were balance studies using (Table 2). A f t e r weaning, rates of gain were
male Holstein calves. Calves in Trial 3 were similar for all treatments and are not listed
12 weeks old when started. F i s h flour furnished in tabular form. H e a r t girth circumference
0, 33, and 67% of the dietary protein in a and wither height measurements were highly
3 × 3 Latin-square design. Periods were 14 variable and not significantly affected by treat-
days, including 9 days for adjustment (the last ment. Because of the slower gains, feed con-
3 days in metabolism stalls) and 5 days for version was lowest ( P < .01) for calves
collection. Fecal and urine samples were col- receiving the highest level of fish flour.
lected twice daily and frozen f o r subsequent Texas workers (18) also reported decreased
analyses. The chemical composition of feces calf gains on a milk replacer in which defatted
and urine was determined according to A O A C fish meal furnished about 78% of the dietary
(1). As in Trial 2, it was planned to include protein, while no difference f r o m controls was
a treatment in which fish flour furnished 100% noted at 40%. D a t a f r o m the present study
of the dietary protein, but the calf on this are in a p p a r e n t contradiction with those of
diet died during the first period and was not H a r s h b a r g e r and Gelwiehs (3), in which no
replaced. decrease in gain was noted when fish flour
fm'nished about 67% of the protein in the
I n Trial 4, 16 calves (four per group) were
milk replacers. However, calves in the Illinois
randomly allotted at three days of age to re-
study also received hay and calf starter. Cal-
placers in which fish flour furnished 0, 33, 67,
culations based on reported intakes indicate
and 100% of the dietary protein. Fecal and
that starter and hay furnished about one-third
urine collections were made at one and six
of the total ration protein. Thus, about 45%
weeks for the 0, 33, and 67% diets and only
of the dietal T protein would have come f r o m
at one week f o r the 100% diet, because of
fish flour. This was sinfilar to the highest level
death loss of calves on this treatment. I n both
that did not induce growth depression in the
balance trials, the diluted replacer comprised
present study. I t is also possible that rumen
the only source of nutrients and was fed at
function of calves in the Illinois work (3)
rates similar to those described in the growth
may have mediated the effect of the fish flour.
studies. As fish flour in the diet increased in Trial 2,
gains and feed efiiciencies were decreased
Results and Discussion ( P < .01). However, differences between 0
I n Trial 1, gains from 3 to 45 days were and 33% were nmeh smaller than those between
J. DAIRY SCIENCE VOL. 50, NO. 8
1298 ~ U B E ~ AND SLADE

TABLE 2
Effect of fish flour and l a t i n milk replacers on body weight gains, feed efficiency, and body
measurements
Trial 1
Interval Protein from fish flour (%)
Item (days) 0 20 40 60
Weight gain (kg) 3-24~ 4.09 4.86 4.95 2.48
3-45~ 16.19 16.00 16.00 11.81
Feed/gain (l~g) 3-45" 1.73 1.69 1.82 2.28
Trial 2
Protein from fish flour (%) Dietary fat (%)
0 33 67 10 15 20
Weight gain (kg) 3-24b 5.77 5.00 3.47 4.57 4.67 5.03
3-45"°'~ 16.67 15.10 11.47 13.00 14.53 15.63
Feed/gain (leg) 3-45b'd 1.79 1.99 2.69 2.37 2.05 2.04
Increase in heart
girth
circumference
(cm) b 3-45 10.39 8.71 7.72 9.09 8.71 8.99
Increase in wither
height (cm) 3-45 5.79 6.05 4.67 5.64 6.05 5.61
0, 20, and 40% significantly higher than 60% (P < .01).
b Linear effect for protein source significant (P < .01).
Linear effect for fat level significant (P < .05).
For fat level, 10% significantly higher than 15 and 20% (P < .05).

33 and 67%. Increased fat also resulted in growth of Streptococcus zymogens from several
increased growth and feed conversion, but fish meals. More research is needed to deter-
treatment effects were not as large as for fish mine availability to c~lves of essential amino
flour. No interactions between protein source acids from fish flour and other protein sources.
and fat content of replacers were noted. There- Another possible cause for the depressed growth
fore, only the major effects of treatment are when fish flour furnished over 60% of the
listed in Table 2. There was a linear decrease dietary protein to calves was an imbalance of
(P < .01) in heart girth circumference and a amino acids. Huston and Scott (5) demon-
trend (P < .10) towards decreased wither strated thst under certain conditions, excesses
heights as levels of fish flour increased. Dietary of both lysine and arginine were detrimental
fat had no effect on these body measurements. to chick growth.
Results of Trial 2 support those of Trial 1, In Trials 3 and 4, fish flour exerted a depress-
in demonstrating a marked depression in growth ing effect on digestibilities of dry matter, crude
at the higher levels of fish flour. The decreased protein, ether extract, and ash (Table 3). The
growth was not overcome by added fat; thus, crude protein digestion coefficient for fish flour,
it seems unlikely that energy was the main calculated by difference and averaged for all
factor limiting gains when fish flour furnished treatments, was 81.3%. This was very close
60% or more of the protein in milk replacers. to the value (79.9%) obtained for one-week-old
The amino acid composition of skimmilk and calves on the 100% diet. Protein digestibilities
fish flour protein is similar, except that fish determined for fish flour were higher than those
flour is slightly lower in tyrosine, phenylala- observed for replacers containing relatively
nine, leucine, isoleueine, and valine, but higher large amounts of fish meal and cereal grains
in arginine and lysine (17). However, Morri- (17), soybean meal (16), or distillers dried
son and Sabry (33) demonstrated marked dif- solubles (6). Digestibility of skimmilk protein
ferences in availability of certain amino acids (calculated by averaging control groups) was
between different samples of fish flour. Mor- 91.1%, and similar to that obtained for milk
rison (11) suggested that alteration in avail- protein in other studies (6, 17). Despite the
ability of methionine and histidine in a specific decreased protein digestibility with increasing
sample occurred during the extraction process. levels of fish flour, the per cent of the dietary
Steaming of this sample rendered the methionine nitrogen retained was significantly decreased
more available. In studies by Waterworth (21), only when fish flour supplied 100% of the
isoleueine was the main amino acid limiting dietary protein. Nitrogen retention values ob-
J. D A I R Y S0]ENCE VOL. 50, NO. 8
 FISH FLOUR FOR CALVES 1299

TABLE3
Effectoffish f l o u r o n u t i l i z a t i o n o f n u t r i e n t s i n m i l k r e p l a c e r s f e d y o u n g c a l v e s a t v a r y i n g ages
Digestion coefficients (%)
Protein from Dry Crude Ether
fish flour matter protein extract Ash N FE Nitrogen retention
(%) (g/day) (% of
Trial 3" intal~e)
0 90.2 90.3 95.7 86.5 89.5 21.5 49.0
33 88.7 84.3 93.0 71.9 91.3 25.4 49.3
67 89.0 85.4 85.7 61.8 94.3 20.6 42.1
Trial 4
0 (1 wk) 95.5 b'~ 89.0 ¢'~ 93.6 b 77.8 b'a 98.7 7.7~,~ 44.5~.g
(6 wk) 96.5 93.4 95.1 79.9 98.7 15.9 52.5
33 (1 wk) 93.4 85.5 89.9 65.4 98.4 7.6 38.0
(6 wk) 95.4 90.9 95.1 68.7 98.4 15.8 49.9
6 7 ( 1 wk) 92.2 83.7 87.5 66.4 98.4 7.4 40.7
(6 wk) 93.7 89.8 87.1 64.3 98.1 15.9 53.7
100 (1 wk) 89.8 79.9 77.9 72.1 97.5 3.7 23.6
None of the differences in Trial 3 is significant (P ~ .05).
b Linear effect for proteln source significant (P ~ .01).
Linear effect for protein source significant (P ~ .10).
Quadratic effect in 1 wk calves for protein source, significant (P ~ .01).
Age difference significant (P ~.01).
Age difference significant (P ~ .10).
g For protein source, 100% vs. 0, 33, 67 in 1 wk calves significant (P ~ .05).

served in all but the 100% diet were similar 100% level. The reason for death on this ration
to those reported for milk protein (6, 17), but is not apparent. F o r the first three to four
higher than for replacers containing cereal weeks on the diet, calves appeared healthy,
grains and fish meal (10) or high levels of readily consumed the replacers, and exhibited
distillers dried solubles (6). All measures of normal growth patterns. However, emaciation
protein utilization were higher at six weeks and death occurred shortly thereafter. Even
than one week. Similar increases with age have though nutrient digestibilities were somewhat
been reported elsewhere (6, 16). depressed with increasing levels of fish flour,
The reason for decreased ether extract di- they were relatively high even on the 100%
gestibilities with increasing levels of fish flour diet, and it is doubtful that poor nutrient ab-
is not obvious and merits further research. F a t sorption caused death on this ration.
digestibilities were markedly depressed in rats Fish flour used in these studies contained
fed rations containing 1,500 ppm sodium approximately 250 p p m of fluorine (9). Es-
fluoride (19). Fluorine levels were much lower timated fluorine intake on the 100% diet was
in this study and were calculated to be 25, about 1.0 m g / k g body weight, slightly lower
50, and 75 ppm for the 33, 67, and 100% diets, than the level of marginal toxicity of 1.4 m g / k g
respectively. body weight reported by the National Research
Digestibility of ash was lower in the 33 and Council (13). However, autopsy of calves did
66% rations, where part of the mineral came not reveal any of the gross symptoms of
from both dried skimmilk and fish flour, than fluorine toxicity.
in the 0 and 100% rations, where mineral was Morrison et al. (14) showed that fish flour
supplied by a single source. Even though there extracted with ethylene dichloride was not toxic
was a slight increase in ash content of the ration to rats, even though organic chloride content
with increasing levels of fish flour, it is doubtful was higher than that in chloroform-extracted
that this was sufficient to affect ash digestibilities. fish flour which was toxic. The ethylene di-
The high nitrogen free extract digestibilities re- chloride content of the fish flour used in these
flect the efficient utilization of lactose in the studies was approximately 180 ppm (9). The
young calf as reported previously (4). opinion of the examining pathologist after
Throughout the entire study, five calves suc- autopsy of calves and histopathologieal exami-
cumbed when fish flour furnished 100% of the nations of calf tissues was that death was due
protein in milk replacers and four recovered primarily to pneumonia and enteritis from
when they were switched to whole milk after secondary invaders which probably entered
showing loss of appetite and listlessness at the the calves' bodies after they had been weakened
J. DAIRY SCIEI'~CE ~-OL. 50, NO. 8
 1300 gUBER AND SLADE

by inanition or a low-grade toxicity. F u r t h e r Milk Substitutes for Growing Young Calves.

studies are in p r o g r e s s to elucidate the cause Massachusetts Agr. Exp. Sta., Bull. 271.
o f death on the diet in which fish flour s u p p l i e d (11) Morrison, A. B. 1963. Factors Influencing
100% of the protein. the Nutritional Value of Fish Flour. I I I .
Further Studies on Availability of Amino
Acids. Can. J. Biochem. Physiol., 41: 1589.
Acknowledgments (12) Morrison, A. B., and Campbell, J. A. 1960.
Studies on the Nutritional Value of Defat-
The authors are indebted to Dr. Keith Libke
ted Fish Flour. Can. J. Biochem. Physiol.,
for autopsy and histopatho]ogica] examinations
38 : 467.
of calves and tissues, and to Walter Shepherd
and J. M. Sowers for care and feeding of animals. (13) Morrison, A. B., and Sabry, Z. I. 1963.
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of Fish Flour. II. Availability of Lysine
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J. DAIRY SCIENCE VOL. 50, NO. 8