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Title: Fish protein substrates can substitute effectively for poultry by-product meal when incorporated in high quality senior dog diets

Author
item ZINN, K. - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item HERNOT, D. - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item FASTINGER, N. - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item KARR-LILIENTHAL, L. - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item Bechtel, Peter
item SWANSON, K. - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
item FAHEY, G. - UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2008
Publication Date: 8/20/2009
Citation: Zinn, K., Hernot, D., Fastinger, N., Karr-Lilienthal, L., Bechtel, P.J., Swanson, K., Fahey, G. 2008. Fish protein substrates can substitute effectively for poultry by-product meal when incorporated in high quality senior dog diets. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. 93(4):447-455.

Interpretive Summary: Due to improved awareness of pet health and nutrition by owners, demand for high quality foods has increased. The objectives of this study were to characterize selected fish by-product and determine the digestibility and immunomodulatory role of of the fish by-products in senior dog diets. The control diet contained poultry by-product meal while test diets contained 20% milt meat (MM), pink salmon hydrolysate (PSH) and white fish meal (WFM) added at the expense of poultry by-product meal. Concentrations of lymphocytes positive for cell surface markers and immunoglobulin concentrations were measured and gene expression of cytokines was determined. Major compositional differences were noted among fish by-products, however, dramatic effects on nutrient digestibility coefficients or immune function were not detected. The lack of an immune function may have resulted because the length of the treatment period was not sufficient to elicit a response in the variables measured. Fish protein substrates substituted effectively for poultry by-product meal to provide diets of high nutritive value for senior dogs.

Technical Abstract: An experiment was conducted to analytically define several novel fish substrates and determine the effects of feeding diets containing these substrates on total tract nutrient digestibility and on immune status of senior dogs. The control diet contained poultry by-product meal while test diets contained 20% milt meal (MM), pink salmon hydrolysate (PSH) and white fish meal (WFM) added at the expense of poultry by-product meal. Concentrations of lymphocytes positive for CD3, CD4, CD8alpha, and CD21, cell surface markers and immunoglobulin concentrations were measured. Gene expression of cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6, IFN-gamma, IL-10, and TGF-beta was determined by qRT-PCR. Major compositional differences were noted among fish substrates but apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients and immune indices were not affected by treatment. Fish protein substrates substituted effectively for poultry by-product meal to provide diets of high nutritive value for senior dogs.