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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294227
Title: Apparent digestibility of Asian carp and common carp-derived fish meals in feeds for hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis female x M. chrysops male and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Author
item BOWZER, JOHN - Southern Illinois University
item TRUSHENSKI, JESSEE - Southern Illinois University
item Rawles, Steven - Steve
item GAYLORD, THOMAS - Us Fish And Wildlife Service
item Barrows, Frederic

Submitted to: Aquaculture Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2013
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Current supplies of fish meal will not be sufficient to meet the demand of future aquaculture production if dietary inclusion of fish meal remains at high levels. Finding a source of fish meal from underutilized alternative fisheries such as silver carp and bighead carp, the so-called Asian carps, will benefit the aquaculture industry. Asian carp populations have rapidly expanded and proliferated in the Mississippi River Basin, which make them an attractive potential source of fishmeal for animal feeds. Although these fisheries do not compare in volume to traditional oceanic fish meal sources, they may provide a cost-effective supplement and help relieve harvest pressure on marine supplies of fish meal. The first step in assessing the biological value of any new ingredient is to determine the nutrient composition and their digestibility in a target animal. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of nutrients (e.g., crude protein, amino acids, lipid, fatty acids, and minerals) were determined for fish meals derived from Asian carp (a combination of silver and bighead carps) and common carp in feeds for hybrid striped bass and rainbow trout and compared to the digestibility of nutrients in traditional fish meal. The chemical composition of the fish meals was thoroughly analyzed. Then, test diets were extruded to produce floating feeds that closely matched the characteristics of typical commercial feeds. The composition and digestibility of Asian carp and common carp meals was broadly similar to menhaden meal. Protein digestibility ranged from 86.5% (Asian carp meal) to 93.1% (common carp meal). Lipid was highly digestible for all ingredients. Although the Asian carp meal was less digestible than the other two fish meals, it was still a highly digestible ingredient. Our data suggests that fish meals derived from Asian or common carp would be valuable feedstuffs in diets for hybrid striped bass, rainbow trout, and possibly other cultured fishes.

Technical Abstract: Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of nutrients (crude protein, amino acids, crude lipid, fatty acids, and minerals) were determined for fish meals derived from menhaden, Asian carp (combination of silver and bighead carps), and common carp in feeds for hybrid striped bass and rainbow trout. Extruded test diets were formulated to contain a 70:30 mixture of reference diet and test ingredient with yttrium oxide (0.1%) serving as the inert marker. Diets were randomly assigned to triplicate tanks and fish were fed once per day at 2% body weight. Fecal samples were collected by manual stripping. The ADCs were calculated according to standard procedures. The composition and digestibility of Asian carp and common carp meals was broadly similar to menhaden meal. Protein digestibility ranged from 86.5% (Asian carp meal) to 93.1% (common carp meal). Lipid was highly digestible with ADCs greater than 100% for all ingredients. Although the Asian carp meal was less digestible than the other two fish meals, it was still a highly digestible ingredient. Our data suggests that fish meals derived from Asian or common carp would be valuable feedstuffs in diets for hybrid striped bass, rainbow trout, and possibly other cultured fishes.