Soluble, Partially Hydrolyzed Fish Protein Concentrate in Calf Milk Replacers

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A soluble partially hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate was evaluated as a protein source in liquid diets for herd replacement and vealer calves. In the herd replacement trial, 3 day old calves were fed milk replacer up to weaning with hay and starter ration provided from 2-9 wk. The 3 milk replacer treatments were (percent of protein) partially hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate + whey (80:20), partially hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate + skim + whey (50:32:18), and control, skim + whey (94:6). There were no treatment differences in average daily gains and intakes of replacer and starter ration up to weaning, age at weaning, digestibility of replacer dry matter, N and fat. In the veal study, overall weight gains (kg) and feed efficiencies (kg dry matter/kg gain) of calves fed the above milk replacers as the only feed from 3-73 days of age averaged 43 and 1.90 (high-fish ration), 57 and 1.44 (medium-fish) and 66 and 1.40 (controls). Loin roasts from controls had the highest acceptability followed by the meidum-fish, and then the high-fish treatment. Partially hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate can provide satisfactorily up to 50% of the protein in liquid diets for herd replacements and vealers for good feed efficiency and calf performance, but less of partially hydrolyzed fish protein concentrate and a withdrawal period may be required to optimize veal quality.