Effect of Dietary pH Adjustment on the Utilization of Supplemental Methionine and Lysine by Juvenile Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio

Abstract

An 8-wk feeding trial was conducted to compare the effect of dietary pH on the utilization of crystalline amino acid (CAA, 0.2% dl-methionine and 0.4% l-lysine·HCl) by juvenile common carp, Cyprinus carpio. A basal diet (diet C) with protein derived mostly from fish meal and soybean meal was supplemented with CAA without pH adjustment (diet CAA, pH 6.2) and with pH adjusted to 7.0 and 8.0 (diets CAA pH 7.0, CAA pH 8.0, respectively). Supplementation of CAA, regardless of dietary pH adjustment, significantly increased the feed intake and weight gain, and the latter was significantly higher in fish fed diets CAA pH 7.0 or CAA pH 8.0 compared to fish fed diet CAA. The intestinal protease activity was significantly higher in fish fed diets CAA pH 7.0 or CAA pH 8.0 compared to fish fed diet CAA. Apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein in diets CAA pH 7.0 and CAA pH 8.0 were significantly higher than those in diet C. Dietary supplementation of CAA generally decreased the plasma aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities, but markedly increased the hepatic AST and ALT activities. Compared to fish fed diet CAA, fish fed diets CAA pH 7.0 or CAA pH 8.0 showed higher hepatic AST activity but slightly lower plasma ammonia level. These results indicate that adjusting the pH of CAA-supplemented diets to neutral or slightly alkaline resulted in improving the CAA utilization by common carp.