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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #187776
Title: TAURINE SUPPLEMENTATION OF ALL-PLANT PROTEIN DIETS FOR RAINBOW TROUT ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS.

Author
item Gaylord, Thomas
item Teague, April
item Barrows, Frederic

Submitted to: Journal of the World Aquaculture Society
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2006
Publication Date: 12/2/2006
Citation: Gaylord, T.G., Teague, A.M., Barrows, F. 2006. TAURINE SUPPLEMENTATION OF ALL-PLANT PROTEIN DIETS FOR RAINBOW TROUT ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS.. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society.

Interpretive Summary: Taurine has been demonstrated to be conditionally indispensable for several carnivorous fish species. As fishmeal and other animal protein sources are reduced or removed as dietary components for rainbow trout endogenous taurine will no longer be present in diet for rainbow trout. Therefore, a 9-week feeding trial was conducted using either of two protein sources (fishmeal or plant based) and taurine supplementation at 4 levels. The plant diet series did not contain any animal proteins, and substituted protein from soy protein concentrate in place of the herring meal protein. The fishmeal based diets contained protein form herring fish meal. Taurine was supplemented at 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg dry diet to each of the diets in the plant series and the fishmeal series of diets. All diets were formulated meet all of the known nutritional requirements of rainbow trout. Fifteen fish were stocked in each of 24 tanks with a mean initial weight of approximately 26.8g per fish. Taurine supplementation improved growth, feed conversion ratios, protein retention efficiencies and energy retention efficiencies of fish fed the plant protein diets. No effects of taurine supplementation were observed for these response factors in fish fed the fishmeal series diets. This study demonstrates that taurine supplementation is necessary for rainbow trout fed plant-protein based feed.

Technical Abstract: Taurine has been demonstrated to be conditionally indispensable for several carnivorous fish species. Current trends in trout production include decreasing levels of fishmeal content in feeds, along with faster growing strains of fish. Taurine may be a limiting nutrient in support of elevated planes of growth for rainbow trout. A 9-week feeding trial was conducted using a factorial treatment design with protein source (fishmeal or plant) and taurine supplementation (4 levels) as the main effects. The fishmeal diet series included 23% herring meal. The plant diet series did not contain any animal proteins, and substituted protein from soy protein concentrate in place of the herring meal protein. Taurine was supplemented at 0, 5, 10 and 15 g/kg dry diet to each of the diets in the plant series and the fishmeal series of diets. All diets were formulated to contain 43.8% crude protein and 20% lipid with an estimated physiological fuel value of 4.2 kcal/g. Fifteen fish were stocked in each of 24 tanks with a mean initial weight of approximately 26.8g per fish. Taurine supplementation improved growth, feed conversion ratios, protein retention efficiencies and energy retention efficiencies of fish fed the plant protein diets. No effects of taurine supplementation were observed for these response factors in fish fed the fishmeal series diets. This study demonstrates that taurine supplementation is necessary for rainbow trout fed plant-protein based feeds.