REPLACEMENT OF FISH MEAL BY TWO VEGETABLE PROTEIN RESOURSES (SOYBEAN AND CORN-GLUTEN) AND THEIR EFFECT ON GROWTH, FEED UTILISATION, RETENTION AND FISH HEALTH IN DIETS FOR ATLANTIC COD (Gadus morhua).


A.-C. Hansen, K. Tveit, G. Rosenlund, O. Karlsen, A. Mangor-Jensen, G.I. Hemre

Diets for the strict carnivorous Atlantic cod have so far been based on high protein levels and quality, necessary to obtain high growth rates, efficient utilisation of the protein and good fish health. To use only high-quality fish meal and oil in diets to cod will not be sustainable in future, due to high costs and expected limitations in raw material availability. Using earlier findings on recommended balance between protein, lipid and starch in diets for Atlantic cod, a trial was set up to elucidate the effect of replacing fish meal by fat-extracted soy-bean meal, corn-gluten meal or a mixture of these, in a regression design, using iso-nitrogenous and iso­caloric diets. Growth and feed utilisation were affected by increases in vegetable protein, and where corn-gluten exerted the major effect. Soybean influenced production results to a minor extent when limiting additions to below 20% of diet dry matter. More details on this, feed utilisation, retention of nutrients and fish health will be presented.

(NIFES (National Institute of Nutrition and Seafood Research), Bergen, Norway)


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