Fish meal supplementation of chick starting rations containing cottonseed cake

Between the second and the fifth week chicks were fed starting rations on the basis of corn/wheat with cottonseed cake up to 30% as sole plant protein and with 5 to 15% fish meal and 5 to 15% cottonseed cake supplemented at a ratio of 1:1. The crude protein levels tested in this way ranged between 11.7% (corn/wheat only) and 26.7% (15% fish feal, 15% cottonseed cake). The content of ME ranged between 2266 and 2920 kcal/kg, the total gossypol content between 0.051 and 0.307%. The most favourable results (considering increase and feed consumption) were obtained with a ration of 23.4% crude protein supplenented by 10% fish meal and 10% cottonseed cake. Higher contents of crude protein required a higher feed consumption, lower contents of crude proteins yielded less increase and higher feed consumption. Cottonseed cake additions only yielded medium increases but a high feed consumption.