Potential of freeze-dried worm meal as a replacement for fish meal in trout diet formulaions

Abstract

The potential of freeze-dried worm meal as a feedstuff and replacement for fish meal in trout diet formulations was determined. Worm meal is a high protein feedstuff low in a number of essential amino acids especially sulphur amino acids. Ash content was approximately 10%, with no high levels of minerals. There was a significant linear regression of ( P<0.05) of final body weight of ranbow trout on level of worm meal in the formulation. Protein digestibility was high (95%) and apparently not the cause of the growth depression of the trout reared on the worm meal diets. Feeding response of trout was noticeably reduced by comparison with trout reared on high fish meal diets, indicating a lack of some unidentified essential component in the high worm meal diets. Freeze-dried worm meal is not a satisfactory replacement for fish meal in trout diet formulations.