THE FEEDING OF RAW, FERMENTED POULTRY BY-PRODUCTS - USING MINK AS A MODEL

In this study, the safety of fermentation as a method of preservation of raw animal byproducts used for animal nutrition was tested. Two fee ding trials with mink, as a model for nonruminant animals, were carrie d out. In the first trial mink were given a fermented diet composed of raw poultry and fish byproducts supplemented with cereals, glucose, l actic acid, premix, and starter culture (Lactobacillus plantarum and E nterococcus faecium). These mink failed to deliver kits, and 7 of the 30 females in the test group died. At autopsy no specific cause of dea th could be diagnosed, although all the dead mink showed symptoms of c achexia. In a second trial, a group of mink kits, during the growth pe riod, was given a diet composed of fermented poultry byproducts, just before feeding mixed with raw fish. The weight gain of the mink in the test group decreased statistically compared with that of the control group, mainly for the male members of the group. From the end of Octob er until the beginning of November, during pelt priming, some mink sho wed symptoms of severe weight loss. It is suggested that the measured increase of amino acid breakdown, and(or) the acidic pH of the ferment ed diet, caused these unfavorable results. To examine the effect of th e fermented diet on the gut flora, fecal samples were analyzed. The fe rmented diet changed the composition of the gut flora significantly. I n the group that received the fermented diet the number of lactobacill i and the mesophilic aerobic count increased and the number of Enterob acteriaceae and enterococci decreased compared with the control group. In addition, the prevalence of salmonella decreased in the groups of mink fed the fermented diet. It is speculated that these beneficial ef fects on the gut flora could probably also be achieved in other nonrum inant animals.