Fishmeal is recognized by nutritionists as a high-quality, very digestible feed ingredient that is favored for addition to the diet of most farm animals, especially fish and shrimp. Fish meal, coarsely ground powder made from the cooked flesh of fish is primarily used in animal feed—especially for poultry, swine, mink, farm-raised fish, and pets. Fishmeal carries large quantities of energy per unit weight and is an excellent source of protein, lipids (oils), minerals, and vitamins; there is very little carbohydrate in fishmeal. Fishmeal is a generic term for a nutrient-rich feed ingredient used primarily in diets for domestic animals, sometimes used as a high-quality organic fertilizer. „Iceberg-2“ fishmeal is made from wild-caught anchovies, containing high percentage of bones and oil and contains between 70% - 72% crude protein by weight. From a nutritional standpoint, fishmeal is the preferred animal protein supplement in the diets of farm animals and often the major source of protein in diets for fish and shrimp

Fish byproducts have been used historically to feed poultry, pigs, and other farmed fish. A primitive form of fishmeal is mentioned in „The Travels of Marco Polo“ at the beginning of the 14th century: "they accustom their cattle, cows, sheep, camels, and horses to feed upon dried fish, which being regularly served to them, they eat without any sign of dislike."

The high quality and concentration of essential nutrients, especially of well-balanced amino acids, essential fatty acids, and energy content makes fishmeal an indispensable ingredient in diets of most aquaculture species and many land - farm animals. Because of its nutrient content, high digestibility and palatability, fishmeal serves as the benchmark ingredient in aquaculture diets. Each year, we send our samples of feed for nutrient content to different laboratories of Georgia, France and Germany.

BENEFITS OF FISHMEAL INCORPORATED INTO ANIMAL DIETS:

• Addition of fishmeal to animal diets increases feed efficiency and growth through better food palatability, and enhances nutrient uptake, digestion, and absorption;

• The balanced amino acid composition of fishmeal complements and provides synergistic effects with other animal and vegetable proteins in the diet to promote fast growth and reduce feeding costs;

• Fishmeal of high quality provides a balanced amount of all essential amino acids, phospholipids, and fatty acids for optimum development, growth, and reproduction, especially of larvae and brood stock. The nutrients in fishmeal also aid in disease resistance by boosting and helping to maintain a healthy functional immune system;

• High-quality fishmeal also allows for formulation of nutrient-dense diets, which promote optimal growth;

• Incorporation of fishmeal into diets of aquatic animals helps to reduce pollution from the wastewater effluent by providing greater nutrient digestibility;

• The incorporation of high-quality fishmeal into feed imparts a 'natural or wholesome' characteristic to the final product, such as that provided by wild fish.