Chicken and Beef By Products as DIY Tilapia Feed

[Scott LeFoll]

We are implementing biodynamic, integrated farming approaches - especially trying to use closed loops where the least amount of inputs are brought into the farm.

Since we process both pastured poultry and pastured beef, does anyone have any knowledge or experience in feeding the processing by-products to their fish?

I know that all of these by-products are used (as meat by-product meal, and blood meal) by the fish feed industry in making feed, and these products have a very high protein content (from 60% - 80%), I cannot figure out how to use them without the specialized equipment to process into meal, and then into floating pellets.

Up until now, we have composted the by-products for later use as fertilizer.  But it seems CRAZY to compost hundreds of pounds of free animal protein each month, and then truck in hundreds more pounds of it in the form of expensive fish feed.  We produce enough animal by products to feed our entire anticipated tilapia population, with the addition of fish meal and duckweed, etc...  If we can figure out how to do this, then our farm and others' will be much more sustainable and self-sufficient.

I know that I can use BSF to convert the meat by-products into protein that the fish can eat, and I am planning on starting that this season.  But does anyone have any thoughts or experience in using the animal products directly?

[Brian Mouncer]

Never tried it, so just a random thought.

First idea that pops into mind is dried beef jerky for fish?

 

Maybe a sausage grinder, a few dozen cookie sheets, and some home made food dehydrators.

once dry the hamberger like extruded meat should break up easily into fish size pellets.