Nutrient digestibility of poultry viscera, poultry by-product meal, and mealworms in female mink (Neovision vision) feed

This research was originally conducted to meet the requirements of an undergraduate Honour’s Thesis by Kiran Fong in 2019 at Dalhousie University in the Faculty of Agriculture in the Department of Animal Science, Bible Hill, NS, Canada, titled, “Nutrient digestibility of poultry viscera, poultry by-product meal, and mealworms in female mink (Neovision vision) feed.” A manuscript for this research is currently under consideration by Animal - Open Space.

Abstract
Increasing cost of feed ingredients is a growing challenge in the mink industry. Determining nutrient digestibility can improve feed efficiency and decrease costs. This study measured the digestibility of crude protein, crude fat, ash, and dry matter in three protein sources including poultry by-product meal (PBPM), poultry viscera, and crushed mealworms using diatomaceous earth as an indicator. A control diet was made, and test diets were mixed in a 70:30 control diet:test ingredient ratio. Forty-six female mink housed in individual cages were fed experimental diets for five days, and fecal samples were collected and analyzed for nutrient residues compared to the diet composition to determine digestible nutrient levels. Significant differences (P<0.05) were found among the diets and ingredients in dry matter and ash digestibility, and among diets in crude fat digestibility, but no difference was found in crude protein digestibility. Overall, mealworms had the highest ash and dry matter digestibility (116.37% and 96.26%, respectively) compared to poultry viscera (1.04% and 77.29%, respectively) and PBPM (39.16% and 86.76%, respectively). PBPM had a lower fat digestibility (84.64%) than mealworms (94.78%) or poultry viscera (98.15%). The data generated provides nutritional information to assist in formulating any of the three ingredients into female mink diets as a protein source.

本研究最初旨在满足 Dalhousie 大学农业学院动物科学系 Bible Hill, NS, 加拿大 Kiran Fong 在 2019 年撰写的本科荣誉论文之需求，论文题目为《雌性水貂（Neovision vision）饲料中家禽内脏、家禽副产品粉和蝇蛆的养分消化率》。目前，该研究的论文稿件正在《Animal - Open Space》期刊审稿中。

摘要

饲料原料成本的不断上升是水貂产业面临的日益严峻的挑战。确定养分的消化率能够提升饲料利用率并降低成本。本研究利用硅藻土作为指标，测定了包括家禽副产品粉（PBPM）、家禽内脏和压碎的蝇蛆在内的三种蛋白质来源的粗蛋白、粗脂肪、灰分和干物质的消化率。制作了对照饲料，并将测试饲料以 70:30 的对照饲料：测试原料比例混合。将 46 只雌性水貂分别饲养于独立笼中，喂养实验饲料五天，收集粪便样本并进行分析，以比较养分残留与饲料成分，从而确定可消化养分水平。在干物质和灰分的消化率以及粗脂肪的消化率方面，各组饲料和原料之间存在显著差异（P<0.05），但在粗蛋白的消化率方面则未发现差异。总体而言，与家禽内脏（1.04% 和 77.29% 分别）和 PBPM（39.16% 和 86.76% 分别）相比，蝇蛆具有最高的灰分和干物质消化率（分别为 116.37% 和 96.26%）。PBPM 的脂肪消化率（84.64%）低于蝇蛆（94.78%）或家禽内脏（98.15%）。所生成的数据为将这三种成分中的任何一种作为蛋白质来源纳入雌性水貂饲料提供了营养信息。