Fish Performance, Nutrient Digestibilities, and Hepatic and Intestinal Morphologies in Grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus Fed Fermented Copra Meal

Protein enhanced copra meal (PECM®) is an alternative, cheap, and sustainable source of plant protein for the aquafeed industry, albeit its use on carnivorous fish species has been very limited. A 70-day feeding trial using grouper Epinephelus fuscoguttatus (initial mean body weight of 1.86 ± 0.19 g) tested fermented copra meal as feed ingredient. Six isonitrogenous (crude protein of 45%) and iso-lipidic (crude fat of 11%) diets consisted of PECM®: a control diet at 0% soybean meal replacement (C); four diets replacing soybean meal at 25% (FC25), 50% (FC50), 75% (FC75), 100% (FC100) – all with methionine and lysine supplementation; and 100% soybean replacement without methionine and lysine supplementation (FCW100). Growth and feed performance were not significantly (P \u3e 0.05) affected by PECM® replacement of soybean meal up to 100%, even without methionine and lysine supplementation. Chemical body composition was likewise not significantly (P \u3e 0.05) altered. PECM® when used as a grouper feed ingredient has protein, lipid, carbohydrate and dry matter digestibilities of 89.28%, 78.63%, 82.57%, and 48%, respectively. Hepatic and intestinal morphologies displayed no apparent pathological changes. PECM® can be efficiently utilized by grouper and can replace soybean meal up to 100% (16% in diet) for normal fish performance and digestive organ functions

Hydrolyzed Tuna Meat By-Product Supplement for Juvenile Red Sea Bream, Pagrus major, and its Effect on Growth, Enzyme Activity, Plasma Parameters, and Apparent Nutrient Digestibility

A growth experiment was conducted on juvenile red sea bream, Pagrus major to investigate the effect of the inclusion in fish diets, of tuna meat by-product hydrolysate which was processed through enzymatic hydrolysis using a commercially available enzyme, derived from Bacillus subtilis. Six experimental diets were formulated in the experiment. Three diets contained 50, 150 and 250 g/kg of TPM-H (tuna meat by-product hydrolysate), and two diets with the unprocessed TPM (tuna meat by-product) at an inclusion level of 50 and 250 g/kg. A control diet was formulated without any addition of the test ingredients. Treatment diets were fed ad libitum to juvenile fish with an initial average body weight of 0.81 ±0.13 g for 56 days. Results of the feeding trial suggest that the inclusion of TPM-H at 250 g/kg in fish diets improved body weight gain rate (3271.58%), feed intake (24.55 g/fish/56 days) and feed conversion efficiency (1.12) of the fish. Apparent nutrient digestibility of hydrolyzed tuna meat by-product improved compared to the unhydrolyzed ingredient. These results suggest that TPM processed as hydrolysates can be efficiently utilized by fish

Supporting ASEAN good aquaculture practices: Utilization of alternative protein sources for aquafeed to minimize pressure on fishery resources

Aquaculture industry of Southeast Asia has been expanding steadily as a result of an increasing demand of food fish in the region as well as in the global scale. Aside from its contribution to the world’s fisheries, the aquaculture industry creates employment opportunities and provides income for the region’s fish farmers, as well as produces fish which is a major component in the diets of peoples in Southeast Asia. However, the fast development of aquaculture had been viewed as threat to sustainable capture fisheries production as the widespread use of fish by-catch in aquaculture feeds results in overexploitation of the fishery resources and to certain extent degradation of the resources. Recognizing the importance and urgency of addressing such concern, the Senior Officials of the ASEAN Member States responsible for fisheries adopted in June 2011, the Plan of Action on Sustainable Fisheries for Food security for the ASEAN Region Towards 2020 which includes provision on the need to “improve the efficient use of aquatic feeds by strictly regulating the quality of manufactured feed and feed ingredients and support continued research for developing suitable alternative protein sources that will reduce dependence on fishmeal and other fish-based products.” Along with such declaration, the SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department has been enhancing its R&D activities aimed at finding alternatives to fishmeal as feed ingredients in aquaculture feed formulations

Histidine requirement of snubnose silver pompano Trachinotus blochii

Histidine is necessary for the formation and repair of tissues to mitigate the effects of cataract on some fish species. Although the requirements for dietary amino acids of several Trachinotus species have been reported, the quantitative histidine requirement for a cost-effective diet for snubnose pompano or Trachinotus blochii, a high value finfish species in the Philippines, has been limited. A 90-day growth experiment determined the dietary histidine requirement of juvenile snubnose pompano (0.19±0.03 g). Six isonitrogenous, isolipidic, and isoenergetic diets consisted of a control diet with 0% histidine inclusion level (basal histidine level of 0.65%) and five diets with histidine inclusion levels of 0.15 (0.80%), 0.3 (1.1%), 0.45 (1.55%), 0.6 (2.15%), and 0.75% (2.9%). To simulate the pompano whole-body amino acid composition, essential amino acids were added in the diet. Fifteen pompano juveniles per tank in three replicates were stocked randomly in 250-L fiberglass tanks and were fed to satiation for 90 d. When the dietary histidine level and percent weight gain were analyzed via quadratic regression, a dietary histidine level of 1.61 g per 100 g diet or 0.357 g per 100 g protein is required for juvenile snubnose pompano. Moreover, the occurrence of cataracts was not observed in fish fed all dietary treatments.SEAFDEC/AQD under FD-02-F2015T is acknowledged for funding this study

Hydrolyzed Tuna Meat By-Product Supplement for Juvenile Red Sea Bream, Pagrus major, and its Effect on Growth, Enzyme Activity, Plasma Parameters, and Apparent Nutrient Digestibility

A growth experiment was conducted on juvenile red sea bream, Pagrus major to investigate the effect of the inclusion in fish diets, of tuna meat by-product hydrolysate which was processed through enzymatic hydrolysis using a commercially available enzyme, derived from Bacillus subtilis. Six experimental diets were formulated in the experiment. Three diets contained 50, 150 and 250 g/kg of TPM-H (tuna meat by-product hydrolysate), and two diets with the unprocessed TPM (tuna meat by-product) at an inclusion level of 50 and 250 g/kg. A control diet was formulated without any addition of the test ingredients. Treatment diets were fed ad libitum to juvenile fish with an initial average body weight of 0.81 ±0.13 g for 56 days. Results of the feeding trial suggest that the inclusion of TPM-H at 250 g/kg in fish diets improved body weight gain rate (3271.58%), feed intake (24.55 g/fish/56 days) and feed conversion efficiency (1.12) of the fish. Apparent nutrient digestibility of hydrolyzed tuna meat by-product improved compared to the unhydrolyzed ingredient. These results suggest that TPM processed as hydrolysates can be efficiently utilized by fish

Evaluation of some terrestrial proteins in complete diets for grouper (Epinephelus coioides) juveniles

This study was undertaken to determine the nutritive value of some of the more widely available protein sources in the diets for grouper juveniles, based on apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter (ADMD) and crude protein (APD), feed conversion ratio (FCR), specific growth rate (SGR) and survival. A series of feeding experiments were conducted to determine the growth performance of grouper juveniles. Test diets were formulated for growth (4 replications/treatment) and digestibility experiments (3 replications/treatment). Each diet contained a test ingredient: white fish meal, white cowpea meal and ipil-ipil leaf meal (experiment 1); local meat and bone meal, soya protein concentrates and meat solubles (experiment 2); and imported meal and bone meal, blood meal and maize gluten meal (experiment 3). A feeding trial for each experiment was conducted for 85 days in a flow-through system with filtered and aerated seawater. 10 and 20 juveniles were stocked in each of 60- and 250-litre fibreglass tanks, respectively. White cowpea meal (20.5% incorporation), local (16% incorporation) and imported (19% incorporation) meat and bone meals could partially replace fish meal in the diets for grouper juveniles without affecting their growth. Low ADMD and APD values for the processed feed ingredients (meat and bone meal, soya protein concentrates and blood meal-based diets) could be associated with the processing methods used in its preparation, which could damage the amino acids and contribute to low nitrogen digestibility. Apparent digestibility coefficients and growth could be used as indicators of the nutritional value of the feed ingredients. However, the availability and optimal balance of amino acids must also be considered

Black tiger shrimp culture rejuvenation: the OPLAN Balik Sugpo of SEAFDEC/AQD

Back in its glory days, black tiger shrimp was an economic jewel of the Philippines and other countries in Asia that garnered millions of dollars’ worth of earnings from production and export. Until production methods became destructive to the environment — causing havoc to mangroves, producing harmful substances in ponds, and sending excessive organic load to downstream riverine and marine ecosystems. However, the international demands and value of the species did not waver. With this, the Government of the Philippines through the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DABFAR) mandated SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (AQD) to revive the production of black tiger shrimp by using more sustainable and environment-friendly practices in its existing aquaculture systems. Thus, SEAFDEC/AQD has come up with sustainable and profitable intensive shrimp culture techniques to bring back the precious black tiger shrimp into the international market

Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients in diets for grouper (Epinephelus coioides) juveniles

This study was conducted to determine the quality of selected feed ingredients as protein sources in grouper diets, based on their nutrient composition and apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter (ADMD) and crude protein (APD). A total of 56 juveniles were used for the 1st batch of test ingredients (Chilean fish meal, white fish meal, shrimp meal, defatted soyabean oilmeal, white cowpea meal and ipil-ipil leaf meal). 54, 72 and 48 juveniles were used for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th batches of test ingredients (squid meal, local meat and bone meal, meat solubles, soya protein concentrates and rice bran; tuna fish meal, imported meat and bone meal, blood meal, maize gluten meal and wheat flour; and poultry feather meal, lupin seed meal and maize germ meal, respectively). Apparent digestibility coefficients were measured in vivo. The apparent digestibility coefficients for ADMD ranged from 37-99%. Squid meal and meat solubles had the highest coefficients, whereas blood meal had the lowest. The APD of all feed ingredients tested were relatively high (79-99%), except for rice bran (43%) and blood meal (15%). ADMD values varied with the levels of fibre and other carbohydrate substances in the feed ingredients. Groupers could utilize dietary protein efficiently regardless of whether it was of animal or plant origin. High APD values were generally obtained in feed ingredients with high protein content. Low digestibility coefficients for feed ingredients could also be attributed to the processing methods used in their preparation

Influence of water temperature on induced reproduction of milkfish during the off-season

Scientific studies on milkfish’s induced spawning and larval rearing by increasing water temperature in tanks are very limited. In order to increase the production capacity of milkfish fingerlings, a preliminary experiment was conducted at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD). This study was on the effect of increased water temperature in milkfish broodstock and larval tanks during the cold and off-breeding season (October to February)

Interactive effects of vitamin C and E supplementation on growth performance, fatty acid composition and reduction of oxidative stress in juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus fed dietary oxidized fish oil

A study was conducted to determine the interactive effects of vitamin C (VC) and E (VE) supplementation on growth, fatty acid composition and oxidative status of Japanese flounder juveniles. Fish (initial average body weight of 1.1 ± 0.1 g) in triplicate were fed five test diets for 60 days. Control diet contained fresh fish oil (FFO, 8.9 meq/kg) with 100 mg α-tocopherol (α-Toc) equivalents/kg of VE and 500 mg ascorbic acid (AsA) equivalents/kg of VC (FFO100E/500C). The other four diets contained oxidized fish oil (OFO, 167.8 meq/kg) with varying levels of VE (mg/kg) and VC (mg/kg) (OFO100E/500C, OFO200E/500C, OFO100E/1000C and OFO200E/1000C). Fish fed FFO100E/500C and OFO100E/500C had no differences in body weight gain (BWG). However, fish fed OFO200E/1000C diet had a significantly lower BWG than FFO100E/500C. Fish fed OFO200E/500C and OFO100E/1000C showed no differences in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance values compared with FFO100E/500C. Increasing the levels of VC and VE supplementation increased liver AsA and α-Toc contents, respectively. Liver α-Toc content was significantly increased with incremental dietary VC levels, indicating a sparing effect of VC on liver α-Toc content of fish. Increasing the levels of dietary VC and VE supplementations decreased concentrations of 20:5n-3, 22:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 in fish liver. Fish fed OFO100E/500C and OFO200E/1000C diets showed higher oxidative stress condition than those fed FFO100E/500C. In conclusion, dietary VC and VE supplementation could maintain normal growth and health condition of juvenile Japanese flounder fed OFO. However, high doses of both vitamin supplements induced fish lipid peroxidation under oxidative stress condition