Kentucky State University
Effect of Partial Fish Meal Replacement on Growth and Feed Conversion in Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Fed Isonitrogenous Diets
Institution
Kentucky State University
Faculty Advisor/ Mentor
James Tidwell
Abstract
A 12-week feeding trial was conducted in aquaria with juvenile largemouth bass to examine the effects of substituting fish meal with other plant and animal protein sources in prepared practical diets. Feed-trained largemouth bass (3.1 g) were randomly stocked at 25 fish/aquaria into eighteen 113.6-L glass aquaria. Fish were fed twice daily to apparent satiation one of six isonitrogenous diets, each containing 38% protein and 10% lipid. The control diet (Diet 1) contained 30% fish meal and 35% soybean meal. Diets 2-6 each contained 15% fish meal and 35% soybean meal with the remainder of the protein made up of either meat and bone meal (Diet 2), soybean meal (Diet 3), poultry byproduct meal (Diet 4), 50% blood meal and 50% corn gluten meal (Diet 5), or 50% feather meal and 50% soybean meal. There were three replicate aquaria per dietary treatment. After twelve weeks, there was no significant difference in survival, which averaged 92% overall. Only fish fed Diets 4 (Poultry meal) and 5 (Blood meal and corn gluten) had average individual weights and feed conversion efficiencies that were not significantly different from the control diet (Diet 1). Based on these data, 50% of fish meal can be replaced with either poultry by-product meal or a combination of 50% blood meal and 50% corn gluten meal in practical diets for largemouth bass.
Effect of Partial Fish Meal Replacement on Growth and Feed Conversion in Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Fed Isonitrogenous Diets
A 12-week feeding trial was conducted in aquaria with juvenile largemouth bass to examine the effects of substituting fish meal with other plant and animal protein sources in prepared practical diets. Feed-trained largemouth bass (3.1 g) were randomly stocked at 25 fish/aquaria into eighteen 113.6-L glass aquaria. Fish were fed twice daily to apparent satiation one of six isonitrogenous diets, each containing 38% protein and 10% lipid. The control diet (Diet 1) contained 30% fish meal and 35% soybean meal. Diets 2-6 each contained 15% fish meal and 35% soybean meal with the remainder of the protein made up of either meat and bone meal (Diet 2), soybean meal (Diet 3), poultry byproduct meal (Diet 4), 50% blood meal and 50% corn gluten meal (Diet 5), or 50% feather meal and 50% soybean meal. There were three replicate aquaria per dietary treatment. After twelve weeks, there was no significant difference in survival, which averaged 92% overall. Only fish fed Diets 4 (Poultry meal) and 5 (Blood meal and corn gluten) had average individual weights and feed conversion efficiencies that were not significantly different from the control diet (Diet 1). Based on these data, 50% of fish meal can be replaced with either poultry by-product meal or a combination of 50% blood meal and 50% corn gluten meal in practical diets for largemouth bass.