Growth of Pacific White Shrimp Fed Diets Containing a Mixture of Soybean Meal and Tuna Silage

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of tuna by-product silage (TBS) in diets based on soybean meal (SBM) for the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. A diet based on fish meal (FM, positive control) only was compared with five isonitrogenous formulations (35% crude protein) based on SBM containing increasing dietary levels of TBS (0, 14.9, 29.8, 44.7, or 59.6%) replacing 0% (TBS0, negative control), 25% (TBS25), 50% (TBS50), 75% (TBS75), or 100% (TBS100), respectively, of the protein derived from SBM. A diet containing tuna by-product meal (TBM) as the sole protein source and one using a commercial feed as reference were also included. Each diet was tested on shrimp in triplicate over 41 d using 70-L fiberglass tanks in a closed recirculating system. Each tank was stocked with 10 juvenile shrimp (mean initial weight, 1.09 g). Shrimp fed diet TBS25 grew as well as those fed diets with 100% of the protein from FM. The growth differences were mainly attributable to differences in the nutritional quality of diets. Whole-body composition was significantly affected by diet. The broken-line regression model using thermal growth coefficient data allowed us estimate that the maximum inclusion level of TBS in shrimp fed the SBM-based diet was 26.31%. To reduce the cost of shrimp feed, the ratio of 75% SBM and 25% TBS proteins seems to be the best formulation for juvenile Pacific white shrimp diets.

Received January 5, 2017; accepted April 17, 2017 Published online June 14, 2017

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors extend their thanks to those who have taken the time to critically review this manuscript. The tuna by-product meal and fresh tuna by-product samples were kindly donated by PINSA, S.A DE C.V. The authors are particularly grateful to Dr. Keiko Shirai (Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, México City) for processing and production of the tuna by-product silages. We also appreciate the valuable assistance of S. Armenta during the experiment. Graham Hope is recognized for the support of in the review of the English writing.