US Poultry Meat Meal Feed Grade (56/22)

Description

Poultry by-product meal is one of the most important source of animal protein used to feed domestic animals, along with meat and bone meal, blood meal, feather meal and fish meal (Meeker et al., 2006). It is made by combining the by-products coming from poultry slaughterhouses or poultry processing plants. The AAFCO (USA) defines poultry by-product meal as the ground, rendered, clean parts of the carcass of slaughtered poultry such as necks, heads, feet, undeveloped eggs, gizzards and intestines (provided their content is removed), exclusive of feathers (except in such amounts as might occur unavoidably in good processing practices) (AAFCO cited by Watson, 2006). Whole poultry carcass meal can also be obtained from culled laying hens (spent hen meal), notably in areas where there is no market for culled hens (Kersey et al., 1997; Hertrampf et al., 2000).

The nutrient content of poultry by-product meal can be quite variable and depends on the substrate that is being processed (Watson, 2006; Dale et al., 1993). It is generally a palatable and high-quality feed ingredient due to its content in essential amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. In addition to its use in livestock, it is in high demand from the pet food and aquaculture industries (Meeker et al., 2006).

Poultry by-product meal is golden to medium brown in colour with a fresh poultry odour (Hertrampf et al., 2000).