Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research
Project Number: 2050-21310-006-019-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Dec 1, 2021
End Date: Apr 30, 2025
Objective:
The objective is to determine nutritional and anti-nutritional properties of Sorghum protein concentrate (SPC) and digestibility in rainbow trout; and to determine the effects of dietary SPC on trout health and juvenile fish growth performance.
Approach:
While sorghum is essential to U.S. agriculture, there is a need to ensure farmers maintain and expand sorghum acreage. To be successful, sorghum must not only remain profitable though current market outlets but through the development of new markets. This aligns with the need for novel protein sources for fish feeds to replace the unsustanable use of costly fishmeal. The aquafeed industry is in a period of increasing use of alternative proteins and has become progressively dependent on conventional terrestrial ingredients, such as those from grains and oilseeds. For sorghum, entering the aquafeed market will require efforts similar to those already accomplished for other terrestrial ingredients. Successful demonstration of sorghum protein concentrates in salmonid feeds would provide a proof of concept that would open the door for SPC in the aquafeeds market. We propose to accomplish this by addressing sorghum use in fish feeds. Specifically, the project addresses the use of SPC as an ingredient in fish feeds. The approach is to conduct a thorough nutritional analysis of SPC and assess antinutritional factors and nutrient digestibility. Then, the optimal inclusion rate will be determined in juvenile trout, tilapia and pompano, followed by on-growing trials.
