Effect of fish and poultry byproduct meal on the small intestine and gizzard of broilers

Commercial mixed-sex broiler chicks were used in two experiments to study the effects of various levels of Peruvian fish meal (PFM), menhaden fish meal (MFM) and poulty byproduct meal (PBPM) on the small intestine and gizzard. Intestinal and gizzard lesions were observed in broilers receiving finisher diets containing 7% or 12% PFM. The broilers receiving diets containing 12% MFM or 12% PBPM had intestinal and gizzard lesion scores that were not significantly different from those of the control broilers. The severity of intestinal lesions was greater than that of gizzard lesions in most groups. The causative agent in the PFM has not been identified.