Dietary Lysine Requirement of Juvenile Yellowtail Flounder Pleuronectes Ferrugineus

Abstract

The lysine requirements of juvenile yellowtail flounder (Pleuronectes ferrugineus) having 19.5 g initial body weight were estimated by feeding six practical-type diets containing graded levels of lysine (1.21 to 2.69% of dry diet). Dietary amino acid profile simulated that of whole body of yellowtail flounder. Most of amino acids in the diets were provided by corn gluten meal, herring meal and gelatin. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) improved significantly until lysine level increased up to 2.1% (4.3% of protein). Same trend was observed in feed:gain ratio (FGR) which maintained constant in fish groups fed diets containing lysine above 2.1%. The highest nitrogen gain (0.34 g/fish) in whole body was found in fish fed 2.1% lysine, though the value was not different from those of fish fed above the level of lysine. Fish fed 2.1% lysine also showed the best nitrogen retention efficiency of 24.6%. The broken-line analysis of protein efficiency ratio and body nitrogen gain against dietary lysine level yielded an estimated lysine requirement of 2.2% (4.5% of protein) and 2.3% (4.7% of protein), respectively. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 12 : 1777-1781)