Influence of growth of Streptomyces fradiae on pepsin-HCl digestibility and methionine content of feather meal

Abstract

Feather meal, fermented by a methionine-excreting mutant of Streptomyces fradiae in the presence of a mineral salts solution and glucose, was 90% digestible in acidified pepsin solution as compared with 65–70% for unfermented meal. Feeding trials with chicks, however, indicated that no significant difference in nutritional value existed between fermented and unfermented meal. Lack of product acceptability may have been partly responsible.