OPTIMIZING PROTEIN-QUALITY OF MIXTURES OF BLOOD MEAL, FEATHER MEAL AND BONE MEAL

The protein quality of two- or three-component mixtures of blood meal, feather meal and bone meal was characterized by amino acid scores and rat net protein utilization (NPU) values. A graphic method designed to find optimum levels of limiting essential amino acids in the mixtures was suitable for predicting the optimum of NPU values determined by feeding rats with diets having 10% crude protein. The protein quality of mixtures of blood meal, feather meal and bone meal showed an optimum if blood meal constituted 60% of the protein content of the mixtures; however, poor feed intake and growth data were obtained.