Refined understanding of sulphur amino acid nutrition in hybrid striped bass,Morone chrysops♀×M. saxatilis♂

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that the level of total sulphur amino acids (TSAA) (methionine+cystine) is most limiting in practical diet formulations for hybrid striped bass (HSB), especially if animal feedstuffs are replaced with plant feedstuffs. Reduction in costly animal feedstuffs such as fish meal, while maintaining adequate dietary levels of TSAA, may enhance the cost effectiveness of production. Therefore, this study investigated three different aspects of sulphur amino acid nutrition of HSB including: (1) the efficacy of crystalline methionine hydroxy analogue (MHA) and liquid MHA (Alimet™) relative to l-methionine in meeting the requirement for TSAA; (2) the cystine-sparing value for methionine; and (3) the influence of various sulphur amino acid supplements on ammonia excretion. During three separate feeding trials (2, 6 and 10 weeks in duration), juvenile HSB were fed various diets including a basal diet deficient in TSAA (0.33% or 0.51% of diet), and experimental diets supplemented on an equal-sulphur basis with different levels of either l-methionine, Alimet™ or crystalline MHA. Diets containing TSAA at 1% of diet and different ratios of cystine to methionine (60:40, 55:45, 50:50 and 45:55) were also fed to re-evaluate the sparing effects of cystine on methionine. In trial 1, over the course of 10 weeks, Alimet™ was 73% as effective in promoting weight gain as l-methionine at the same concentration while MHA was 83% as effective. After 6 weeks in trial 2, fish fed Alimet™ at 1.25% of diet displayed similar growth performance as those fed TSAA at 1.0% of diet, while weight gain of fish fed Alimet™ at 1% was only 58% of that displayed by fish fed TSAA at 1.0%. No significant differences in weight gain, feed utilization or survival were observed among fish fed diets containing various ratios of cystine to methionine, although the diet with 60:40 cystine to methionine had the lowest numerical responses. Inclusion of MHA or Alimet™ did not affect TAN excretion of HSB. These findings will aid in refining diet formulations for HSB to ensure adequate sulphur amino acid nutrition.