Peruvian Fish Meal Research Articles

Peruvian fish meal has comparative potential to enzyme-treated Chilean fish meal as protein source of diet for larvae and juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis

Peruvian fish meal has comparative potential to enzyme-treated Chilean fish meal as protein source of diet for larvae and juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis

First series of seafood datasets in ecoinvent: setting the pace for future development

Purpose: The number of life cycle assessment studies related to seafood has risen considerably in the past decade. Despite this proliferation, major life cycle inventory databases tend to lack information describing this sector. Hence, the main objectives of this study are to present the first effort to aggregate and standardize seafood-related datasets in the ecoinvent database and to explain the main data sources and methodological choices used in the building of the datasets. Methods: A list of the main datasets included in this first series is presented with a brief description of the underlying modelling approaches. Seafood capture, production and processing activities were modelled as the use phase of the required infrastructure. The full life cycle of infrastructure was considered, from construction, through use and maintenance to end-of-life. Results and discussion: Some of the most representative seafood industries in South America were modelled, namely Peruvian anchovy and hake fisheries, Andean trout, Brazilian tilapia and Peruvian fishmeal production, as well as the production of canned, frozen, cured and of a multi-ingredient fish-based product (fish sticks). Inventory data were found to be in line with those of seafood LCA literature and driven by the parameters widely known to be critical: fuel use intensity for fisheries, feed conversion ratio for aquaculture and energy intensity for seafood processing and reduction into fishmeal. The modelling approach was modular and intuitive, thus useful and reproducible by database users and data providers. Conclusions: The datasets created constitute a robust basis for the use of seafood-related data in international databases. It is expected that this work will stimulate further efforts by practitioners and data providers to model their inventory data into ecoinvent and other life cycle inventory databases.

THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT DIETARY PROTEIN SOURCES ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCES AND BODY COMPOSITION OF THE ROCK PORGY, OPLEGNATHUS FASCIATUS

This study investigated the effects of different dietary protein sources on the growth performance and muscle composition of the rock porgy, Oplegnathus fasciatus. Four isonitrogenous (48% crude protein) and isolipidic (10% crude lipid) diets were formulated with Peruvian fishmeal (PFM), Taiwanese fishmeal (TFM), poultry by-product meal (PBM) and meat and bone meal (MBM), respectively. The rock porgy (mean initial weight 10.58 g) were reared in 12 tanks and fed with one of the four treatment diets in triplicate for six weeks. The rock porgy fed with diet TFM had significantly higher weight gain than those fed with the other treatment diets. However, the rock porgy fed with diet MBM had significantly lower weight gain than those fed with the other treatment diets. Survival for all treatment groups ranged from 90 to 100%. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the rock porgy fed with diet TFM was lower than that of the fish fed with the other diets. The hepatosomatic index (HSI) of the rock porgy fed with diet PFM was lower than that of the fish fed with the other diets. The specific growth rate (SGR) of the rock porgy fed with diets TFM, PFM and PBM was significantly higher than that of fish fed with diet BMB. Therefore, it is suggested that TFM is the optimum protein source for the rock porgy.

Apparent digestibility coefficients of selected feed ingredients for juvenile snakehead,Ophiocephalus argus

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid, gross energy, phosphorus and amino acids in Peruvian fish meal, poultry by-product meal, meat and bone meal, spray-dried blood meal, hydrolysed feather meal, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, cottonseed meal and rapeseed meal were determined for juvenile snakehead (Ophiocephalus argus) with initial mean body weight of 78.1 g. A reference diet and test diets that consisted of a 70 : 30 mixture of the reference diet to test ingredient were used with 5 g kg−1 Cr2O3 as an external indicator. Fish meal, poultry by-product meal and corn gluten meal had higher ADCs of dry matter, crude protein, and gross energy among ingredients tested. Dry matter ADCs ranged 61.9–81.5% for animal ingredients and corn gluten meal and ranged 52.2–68.0% for soybean meal, peanut meal, cottonseed meal and rapeseed meal. Energy ADCs of ingredients followed similar trends to differences in dry matter digestibility. Protein ADCs of animal and plant ingredients ranged 73.6–92.8% and 75.3–85.6%, respectively. Amino acid ADCs generally reflected protein digestibility. Lipid ADCs were relatively high for the ingredients tested. Phosphorus ADCs of animal and plant ingredients ranged 39.5–65.2% and 38.7–57.1%, respectively.

Apparent digestibility coefficients of selected feed ingredients for juvenile hybrid tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus×Oreochromis aureus

The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid, gross energy, phosphorus and amino acids in local fish meal (LFM), Peruvian fish meal (PFM), poultry by-product meal (PMM), meat and bone meal (MBM), tilapia by-product meal (TM), fermented soybean meal (FSBM), soybean meal (SBM), peanut meal, canola meal (CM), cottonseed meal (CSM) and de-gossypoled cottonseed meal were determined for juvenile hybrid tilapia (7.18 ± 0.2 g, mean ± SD). A reference diet (RF) and test diets (consisting of 70% RF and 30% of the feedstuff) were used with 0.5% chromic oxide as an external digestibility marker. The juvenile hybrid tilapias were stocked in 500-L fibreglass tanks at a density of 20 fish per tank. Faeces were collected from triplicate groups of fish using a faecal collection column attached to the fish-rearing tank. The results indicated that the ADCs of dry matter for juvenile hybrid tilapia ranged 71.88–89.53% for animal products and 65.89–79.98% for plant products. For crude protein, apparent digestibility coefficients of protein (ADCp) exceeding 90% were observed for FSBM, SBM and PFM, and ADCp of MBM was the lowest among all the treatments. Apparent digestibility coefficients of lipid in all the treatments were above 90%; the results indicate that lipids from both animal and plant sources were well digested by hybrid tilapia. The ADCs of phosphorus of animal and plant feedstuffs ranged between 58.04–74.44% and 52.65–64.23% respectively. The lowest ADC of phosphorus was observed in CSM among plant ingredients and in MBM among animal ingredients. The ADCs of energy were similar to those of dry matter and protein; the highest and lowest ADCs of energy were found in PFM and CM respectively. In general, the amino acid availability coefficients tended to reflect the ADCp among highly digestible ingredients. For the animal products, the availabilities of amino acids in PFM, LFM and PMM were generally higher than that in TM and MBM; among all the plant products, the availabilities of amino acids in FSBM and SBM were higher than in CM. These results indicated that juvenile hybrid tilapia is able to utilize different feedstuffs efficiently.

Spirulina meal has acted as a strong feeding attractant for Litopenaeus vannamei at a very low dietary inclusion level

The present work aimed at studying the growth performance and feeding preference of Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles fed on diets supplemented or not with Spirulina meal. Litopenaeus vannamei juveniles (3.89 ± 0.25 g) were stocked for 72 days in 28 round 500-L tanks at 44 shrimp/tank (77 juveniles/m2). The diets were supplemented with 0.5% of a commercial feed attractant (C25 and C50) or with Spirulina meal (S25 and S50). In C25/S25 and C50/S50 there were reductions of 25% and 50% in fishmeal inclusion level respectively. In a further study, two feeding trays with different diets were allowed to shrimp at the same moment and they were located in opposite walls of the tank. The feed remains in each feeding tray were collected and weighted to calculate the dry feed remains. The weekly growth rate of shrimp fed on S25 (0.89 ± 0.03 g) was not significantly different from those fed on C25 (0.89 ± 0.01 g). The attractiveness experiment showed that S25 was preferred significantly more by shrimp than C25. In conclusion, Spirulina meal added at 0.5% in a complete diet for L. vannamei juveniles, with 14% of Peruvian fishmeal, has proved itself as a nutritionally efficient feeding attractant.

Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients for white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, Boone

Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein, crude lipid, gross energy, phosphorus and amino acids in Peruvian fish meal (FM), fermented soybean meal, extruded soybean meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, wheat gluten meal, corn gluten meal, shrimp byproduct meal, meat and bone meal (MBM), poultry meat meal and plasma protein meal (PPM) were determined for white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). A reference diet (RF) and test diets (consisting of 70% RF diet and 30% of the feedstuff) were used with 0.5% chromic oxide as an external indicator. A total of 1440 shrimp (initial mean body weight 1.05 ± 0.01 g) were randomly stocked into thirty-six 500-L fibreglass tanks with 40 shrimp per tank and three tanks per diet. Faeces were collected from triplicate groups of shrimp by a faecal collection vessel attached to the shrimp-rearing tank. The shrimp were fed to apparent satiation four times a day and the feeding experiment lasted for 6 weeks. Statistics indicate that apparent DM digestibilities for white shrimp (L. vannamei) were the highest for FM, ranged 52.83–71.23% for other animal products and 69.98–77.10% for plant products. The protein and lipid from plant and animal sources were well digested by white shrimp. Apparent protein and lipid digestibility were in the range 87.89–93.18% and 91.57–95.28%, respectively, in plant products, and 75.00–92.34% and 83.72–92.79%, respectively, for animal products. The white shrimp demonstrated a high capacity to utilize phosphorus in the ingredients. The apparent phosphorus digestibility ranges of animal feedstuffs and plant feedstuffs were 58.90–71.61% and 75.77–82.30% respectively. Amino acid availability reflected protein digestibility, except that in MBM, for which the availability of some amino acid was lower, possibly due to protein damage during processing. Digestibility information could promote the use of ingredient substitution in least-cost formulated diets for white shrimp.

Effect of fishmeal replacement withArtemiabiomass as a protein source in practical diets for the giant freshwater prawnMacrobrachium rosenbergii

A 30-day feeding experiment was conducted in 160-L plastic tanks to evaluate the potential use of Artemia biomass as a protein source in practical diets for postlarval Macrobrachium rosenbergii (initial mean weight of 12.12-12.29 mg). Nine isoenergetic and isonitrogenous experimental diets (approximately 40% crude protein) were formulated by replacing levels of the fishmeal (FM) protein difference either with dried or frozen Artemia (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%). The 0% Artemia treatment, in which Peruvian FM was the only main protein source, was considered to be the control diet. The results showed that prawn postlarvae (PLs) fed the FM control diet had a lower survival (46%) compared with all Artemia diets. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were, however, only found at 75% and 100% Artemia protein inclusion levels (survival of 68-77%). A gradual increase in growth performance (live weight gain, specific growth rate and total length) of the prawns was achieved on increasing dietary inclusion of Artemia protein. Additionally, the size distribution exhibited the same response as growth performance. However, prawns fed the frozen Artemia diets showed a better performance than the ones fed the dried Artemia diets. It can be suggested that Artemia biomass may totally replace FM in practical diets for PLs of the freshwater prawn M. rosenbergii.

Apparent digestibility coefficients of selected feed ingredients for Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fat, energy and amino acids in Peruvian fish meal (FM), Chinese crustacean meal (CM), meat meal (MM), soybean meal (SBM), rapeseed meal (RM) and rice bran (RB) were determined for Chinese mitten crab (50.0 ± 7.5 g, mean ± S.D.), using a reference diet with chromic oxide indicator and test diets that contained 70% reference diet and 30% feed ingredient. ADCs of DM were highest in FM (90.1%) and lowest in RB (74.9%) ( P < 0.05). For crude protein, ADCs exceeding 90% were recorded for FM and MM. Protein digestibility coefficient of RB was the lowest among the treatments ( P < 0.05). The highest and lowest crude fat digestibilities were observed in FM and MM, respectively ( P < 0.05). Differences in energy digestibility followed differences in DM and crude protein digestibilities. The highest energy digestibility coefficient was observed in FM, followed by CM, and the lowest in RB ( P < 0.05). In general, amino acid availability reflected crude protein digestibility; however, for some ingredients, there were major differences in availability of different amino acids. For the animal meals, the availability of amino acids in FM and CM was generally higher than that in MM; however, ADCs of Lys and Cys in MM were slightly higher than those in FM. Among all plant meals, the availability of amino acids in SBM and RM was higher than in RB. The availability of amino acids in RB was the lowest for mitten crab among the ingredients tested. Digestibility information could promote the use of ingredient substitution in least-cost formulated diets for Chinese mitten crab.

Dietary utility of enzyme-treated fish meal for juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis

In order to develop an artificial diet, the dietary utility of enzyme-treated fish meal was investigated for juvenile Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis (PBT). Diets containing each 63% of Chilean fish meal (FM), enzyme-treated chilean fish meal (EC) and enzyme-treated Peruvian fish meal (EP), with 10% bonito oil and raw sand lance Ammodytes personatus (SL) were fed to juvenile tuna six times per day for one week. In a different trial, diets EC and SL were fed to tuna six times per day for 2 weeks. Only diet EC sustained similar growth or caused lower survival and higher feed efficiency, hepato- and enterosomatic indices and final carcass lipid content as compared to those of SL. Diets FM and EP led to lower specific growth rate (SGR) but similar feed efficiency, survival and hepatosomatic index, yet higher enterosomatic index. Moreover, PBT fed diet EC for 2 weeks led to similar growth performance but higher final carcass and hepatic lipid contents, and plasma cholesterol and phospholipid levels than those fed SL. Carcass fatty acid composition of diet EC group had lower 20∶5 n-3 and 22∶6 n-3 levels than the SL group. These results revealed that EC, as a suitable dietary protein source, could sustain growth of PBT, while dietary bonito oil led to higher carcass lipid but lower accumulation of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids.

Apparent digestibility of selected marine and terrestrial feed ingredients for tropical spiny lobster Panulirus ornatus

This study reports the dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), total lipid (TL) and gross energy (GE) apparent digestibilities of five marine animal and three terrestrial plant feed ingredients using sub-adult tropical spiny lobster ( Panulirus ornatus) of 600–800 g. Apparent digestibility was determined using standard substitution procedures and employing ytterbium as the digestibility marker. Test ingredients were used at a substitution rate of 500 g kg − 1 or 300 g kg − 1 for animal or plant ingredients, respectively. In each of the two digestibility experiments ( n = 5, the reference and four substituted diets were fed to lobsters fitted with a balloon fecal collection device. This enabled the collection of voided feces without contact with seawater and subsequent leaching losses. The derived DM, OM, CP, TL and E apparent digestibilities respectively were: 76, 81, 89, 64 and 83% for New Zealand mussel meal; 67, 79, 84, 77 and 81% for Peruvian fish meal; 69, 77, 89, 66 and 78% for spray-dried Antarctic krill meal; 53, 65, 85, 53 and 72% for Chilean langoustine meal; 47, 48, 59 41 and 58% for Japanese squid meal; 71, 66, 81, 41 and 72% for Australian solvent-extracted soybean meal; and 51, 57, 86, 33 and 63% for Australian dehulled lupin kernel meal (cv Wonga). The DM, OM, CP and E apparent digestibility of wheat flour were 82, 69, 74 and 72% respectively.

Apparent Digestibility Coefficients of Selected Feed Ingredients for Yellowfin Seabream, Sparus latus

Abstract The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), and amino acid in seven feed ingredients were determined with juvenile yellowfin seabream (initial body weight, 41 ± 2 g; means ± SD) through two digestibility trials. The ingredients consisted of white fish meal (WFM), Peruvian fish meal (PFM), brown fish meal (BFM), rapeseed meal (RM), soybean meal (SBM), extruded soybean meal (extruded SBM), and peanut meal (PM). In each of the two trials, a casein–gelatin reference diet was mixed with test ingredients in a ratio of 70:30 to produce a series of diets, and yttrium oxide was used as the inert marker. The reference and test diets were fed to yellowfin seabream reared at 27.5 ± 1 C, and fecal samples were collected by siphoning. The derived DM, CP, and GE ADCs (means ± SD) for the test ingredients were, respectively, WFM – 72.3 ± 3.87, 86.4 ± 1.06, and 93.6 ± 2.63; PFM – 54.1 ± 15.45, 80.5 ± 7.81, and 77.4 ± 11.9; BFM – 57.7 ± 2.34, 82.8 ± 3.07, and 84.5 ± 5.77; RM – 33.5 ± 5.50, 84.7 ± 2.83, and 56.3 ± 9.87; SBM – 58.7 ± 4.42, 92.6 ± 3.94, and 58.1 ± 2.91; extruded SBM – 65.1 ± 16.52, 89.7 ± 1.68, and 64.8 ± 6.23; and PM – 70.6 ± 1.43, 97.3 ± 3.52, and 59.8 ± 4.78. The ADC of CP of both plant and animal feed ingredients was high, whereas DM and GE values varied greatly. Apparent DM digestibility coefficients of ingredients decreased as ash or fiber contents of ingredients increased, and the variation of apparent GE digestibility coefficients of ingredients is similar to that in DM, with the exception of the value for PM.

Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients for juvenile cobia Rachycentron canadum

Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude lipid (CL), gross energy (GE), phosphorus, and amino acids in Peruvian fish meal, defatted soybean meal/roasted and solvent-extracted, defatted soybean meal/solvent-extracted, poultry meal, meat and bone meal, peanut meal, rapeseed meal, and corn gluten meal were determined for juvenile cobia. A reference diet (RF) and test diets (consisting of 70% RF diet and 30% of the feedstuff) were used with 0.5% Cr 2O 3 as an external indicator. The juvenile cobia, averaging 10 g, was stocked in 300-l fiberglass tanks at a density of 20 fishes per tank. Feces were collected from triplicate groups of fish using a fecal collection column attached to the fish rearing tank. Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid, and gross energy were highest for fish meal and corn gluten meal. Statistics indicated that apparent dry matter digestibility for juvenile cobia ranged 60.42–87.56% for animal products and corn gluten meal and 58.52–70.51% for soybean meals, peanut meal, and rapeseed meal. The protein and lipid from both plant and animal sources were well digested by cobia. Apparent protein and lipid digestibility ranged 87.21–96.27% and 91.59–96.86%, respectively, for animal products, and 88.97–94.42% and 92.38–96.93%, respectively, for plant products. The cobia demonstrated a high capacity to utilize phosphorus in the ingredients. The apparent phosphorus digestibility ranges of animal feedstuffs and plant feedstuffs were 62.36–71.22% and 56.32–69.76%, respectively. Amino acid availability reflected protein digestibility, except in meat and bone meal, for which the availability of some amino acids was lower, possibly due to protein damage during processing. Digestibility information could promote the use of ingredient substitutions in least-cost formulated diets for cobia.

Apparent digestibility of selected feedstuffs by mud crab, Scylla serrata

A feeding experiment was conducted to determine apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter (ADMD), crude protein (ACPD), crude fat (ACFD), crude fiber (ACFbD), nitrogen-free extract or NFE (ANFED), and crude ash (AAD) of selected feed ingredients for mud crab, Scylla serrata. The nine feed ingredients were Peruvian fish meal, squid meal, Acetes sp., meat and bone meal, copra meal, wheat flour, rice bran, corn meal, and defatted soybean meal. A reference diet (RF) and test diets (consisted of 70% RF diet and 30% of the feedstuff) were used with Cr 2O 3 as external indicator. The ADMD of the RF and test diets were high except for diet with meat and bone meal. Crude protein, crude fiber, and ash of feedstuffs were digestible in mud crab. Nutrients in squid meal, corn meal, and defatted soybean meal were digested well (ACFbD>95%; ANFED>92%; AAD>71%) compared with nutrients in the meat and bone meal. The AAD of copra meal, wheat flour, rice bran, and meat and bone meal were similar. The ACFD in carbohydrate-rich plant feedstuffs were significantly higher than that in protein-rich animal feedstuffs. For this species, the relative amounts of dietary protein and NFE in feedstuffs had an effect on the ACFD but not on ADMD.

Replacement of fish meal in diets for Australian silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus: I. Digestibility of alternative ingredients

Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for dry matter, nitrogen, energy and individual amino acids for 29 commonly used feed ingredients were determined for silver perch, a native Australian freshwater species currently being cultured in Australia, Taiwan and China. ADCs were determined using faeces collected following settlement. Results from 11 experiments are reported. Each experiment included a reference diet and test diets, which were composed of 69.3% reference diet, 29.7% test ingredient and 1% chromic oxide (inert indicator). Ingredients tested included Australian, Danish and Peruvian fish meals, blood meal, meat and bone meals from beef and lamb, poultry meal, feather meal, soybean and canola meals (both expeller and solvent extracted for each), full fat soybeans, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, linola, two species of lupins, field peas, faba beans, chick peas, vetch, cow peas, wheat gluten, corn gluten meal, two cultivars of wheat, millrun and sorghum. ADCs for dry matter, energy and nitrogen were highest for fish meal, although several other ingredients, including some animal meals and gluten from wheat and corn, had similar ADCs for dry matter and energy. Digestible protein from these ingredients was in the range 52–86% compared with 63–69% for fish meals. Silver perch were capable of digesting protein very effectively in almost all ingredients tested. Amino acid availability reflected nitrogen digestibility except for Peruvian fish meal and the two meat and bone meals, for which the availability of some amino acids was lower, possibly indicating protein damage during processing. Oilseeds and legumes also tended to have lower ADCs for some amino acids (e.g., sulphur amino acids) than for other amino acids. Differences in ADCs for nitrogen and individual amino acids indicate the need for individual amino acid availability data. The data provided a useful starting point for least-cost formulation of diets for silver perch.

Sulphur amino acid requirement of juvenile Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer

The dietary requirement of juvenile Asian sea bass Lates calcarifer Bloch for total sulphur amino acids was studied. Fish (average initial weight of 2.59 ± 0.08 g) were reared in twelve 500 L fibreglass tanks provided with flow-through seawater at 26°C and salinity of 31 p.p.t. for 12 weeks. They were fed semi-purified test diets containing 6.2, 7.2, 8.1, 9.0, 10.8, or 12.6 g methionine kg−1 dry diet and a basal level of 3.1 g cystine kg−1 dry diet. The mean crude protein of the diets (containing defatted Peruvian fishmeal, squid meal, soybean meal, and free amino acid mixture to simulate the pattern of hydrolysed sea bass protein) was 46.02%. The crude fat content of the diets was 10.51% from a 1 : 1 mixture of cod liver oil and soybean oil. Survival was 100% in all treatments. On the basis of the growth response, the total sulphur amino acid requirement of juvenile Asian sea bass was estimated to be 13.4 g kg−1 dry diet (2.9% of protein). Fish fed low levels of l-methionine had significantly lower weight gains and feed efficiency ratios as well as slightly higher hepatosomatic indices. No nutritional deficiency signs were observed other than growth depression in fish fed on diets that were low in methionine. This information is valuable in further refinement of formulations of practical diets for the Asian sea bass.

Supplemental feeding of Penaeus monodon juveniles with diets containing various levels of defatted soybean meal

Varying levels of defatted soybean meal DSM (15, 25, 35, 45 and 55%) in supplemental diets with approximately 40% crude protein and 10% crude fat were fed to tiger prawn juveniles in 1 m×1 m×1 m net cages set on the bottom of a 1-ha earthen pond. Prawns were stocked at 10 or 20 per m 2 and fed the various diets for 3 months. Prawns were also stocked outside the cages at a stocking density of 0.5/m 2. Weight gains were significantly affected by supplemental feeding and stocking rate. Prawns that were stocked outside the cages weighed 13.2 g upon termination whereas those stocked at 10/m 2 and 20/m 2 were twice as heavy. Higher weight gains were recorded for prawns stocked at 10/m 2 compared to those stocked at 20/m 2. There were no significant differences in weight gains of prawns fed varying levels of soybean meal at stocking densities of 10 or 20/m 2, indicating that soybean meal can be incorporated into the ration at high levels. At both stocking rates, survival rates were relatively high and were not significantly different. Although no significant differences in growth were observed due to the different levels of defatted soybean meal in the diets, the diet with 35% DSM and 16% Peruvian fish meal gave the best yield.

Evaluation of Various Leguminous Seeds as Protein Sources for Milkfish, Chanos chanos Forsskal, Juveniles

The nutritive value of four leguminous plant seeds: pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan). mungo (Phaseolus radiatus), kidneybean (Phasoolus vulgaris) and soybean (Glycine max), were evaluated as protein sources for milkfish (Chanos chanos) juveniles in isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets containing 40% protein. The legumes were heat treated and added at different levels so that their protein contributed 25% of total dietary protein; Peruvian fishmeal supplied the remaining portion. A diet with all protein contributed by fishmeal was used as a control. Substitution of 25% of the total 40% animal protein in the control diet by mungo and soybean meal did not adversely affect (P &gt; 0.05) fish growth and the efficiency of feed conversion. Diets with 25% of protein contributed by pigeonpea and kidneybean meal resulted in significantly depressed (P &lt; 0.05) growth and efficiency of feed conversion. Milkfish survival rate was more than 97'1i throughout the six-week experimental period. We conclude that mungo replace and soybean meal, contributing at least 25% of dietary protein, can be used to fishmeal to reduce the cost of feed without adverse effect on the growth, survival and efficiency of feed conversion of juvenile milkfish.

Studies on the utilization of full-fat soybean and solvent extracted soybean meal in a complete diet for rainbow trout.

An experimental feeding trial was conducted with rainbow trout to compare the nutritive value of five commercially avaiable soybean meals (puffed full-fat soybean, toasted full-fat soybean, hexane extracted soybean, extruded hexane extracted soybean and alcohol extracted soybean) as a partial replacement for Peruvian fish meal in a practical ration. The dietary level of Peruvian fish meal was reduced from 35% to 10% and the level of soybean meal increased from 0% to 50%, replacing up to 75% of the Peruvian fish meal protein, with no adverse effects on overall growth performance or feed utilizatin efficiency. There was no apparent difference between treatments on the basis of the five soybean meals tested. The results are discussed in the light of possible anti-nutritional factors present within soybean.

Effect of diet and infusion of volatile fatty acids into the rumen on the concentration of plasma free amino acids in sheep

The effect of supplementing barley diets with urea (U), extracted decorticated groundnut meal (GNM) or Peruvian fish meal (PFM) on plasma free amino acid concentrations in sheep have been examined and the first limiting amino acid has been indicated by measuring the changes in the concentration of the plasma essential amino acids (PEAA) during a rumen infusions of a volatile fatty acid (VFA) mixture. 2. Three wethers fitted rumen and re-entrant duodenal cannulas were given isonitrogenous, isoenergetic diets containing (g/kg dry matter (DM) U 20, GNM 106 and PFM 78, the crude protein (nitrogen x 6.25) contents being 139, 145 and 148 respectively. The sheep were fed hourly, the mean daily DM intake being 0.634 kg. 3. Plasma concentrations of valine, threonine, lysine, isoleucine and leucine were linearly related to their concentrations in duodenal digesta. 4. A VFA mixture was infused into the rumen for 6 h to supply (mmol/min) acetate 1.47, propionate 0.22 and n-butyrate 0.27. Blood samples were taken 6 h before, during and 12 h after the end of the infusion. 5. The concentration of all PEAA decreased relative to the pre-infusion and post-infusion controls but there were no significant differences between diets. 6. The mean decrease in concentration averaged over all three diets showed that the decrease in concentration of methionine (41.5%) was far greater than for any other essential amino acid suggesting that under these conditions methionine was the first limiting amino acid.