Effect of Partial Dietary Substitution of Meat Meal for Fish Meal on the Growth and Body Composition of the Juvenile Olive Flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of partially substituting meat meal for fish meal on the growth and body composition of juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus during the winter season. Twenty-five fish (initial body weight, 23 g) were distributed into twelve 250 L flow-through tanks. Four experimental diets were prepared in triplicate: the control, MM20, MM40, and MM60 diets. Sixty percent mackerel meal was used as the primary protein source in the control diet. Meat meal was substituted for 20, 40, and 60% of the mackerel meal in the MM20, MM40, and MM60 diets, respectively. Survival was not significantly affected by the experimental diets. However, the weight gain and specific growth rate of fish fed the control, MM20, and MM40 diets were significantly higher than those of fish fed the MM60 diet (P<0.05). The feed efficiency ratio of fish fed the control, MM20, and MM40 diets was significantly higher than that of fish fed the MM60 diet (P<0.05). The protein efficiency ratio for fish fed the control diet was significantly higher than that for fish fed the MM40 and MM60 diets (P<0.05). Moisture, crude protein, crude lipid, and ash content, and blood chemistry of the flounder at the end of the feeding trial were unaffected by the experimental diets. Considering these results, it can be concluded that up to 40% substitution of meat meal for fish meal in the diet could be implemented without a reduction in growth or deterioration of the feed efficiency of juvenile olive flounder during the winter season.