Processed meat solubles, protamino aqua, used as an ingredient in juvenileshrimp feeds

The nutritive value of processed meat solubles, Protamino Aqua, a by-produc t from slaughterhouses, was examined in a growth trial with juvenile tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. Experimental diets were formulated to contain proce ssed meat solubles and/or squid meal as a partial replacement of fish meal. Dietary treatments consisted of diets (1) 5% processed meat solubles, no s quid meal; (2) 2% processed meat solubles and 3% squid meal; (3) 5% squid m eal, no meat solubles; (4) no meat solubles, no squid meal (control) and (5 ) commercial shrimp feed. The water stability of the diets was tested. Diet s were fed to P. monodon postlarvae, PL20, with a mean body weight of 0.014 g, reared in tanks for 60 days. Results showed that survival of shrimp fed the various diets did not significantly differ (p >0.05). The only signifi cant difference in growth performance was that the weight gain of shrimp fe d diet 3 was significantly better (p <0.05) than that of shrimp fed the con trol diet. The protein efficiency ratio was best in shrimp fed diets contai ning processed meat solubles and poorest in shrimp receiving commercial fee d. Protamino Aqua has a water stability similar to that of the control diet and commercial feed and appears to be efficiently utilized by juvenile P. monodon. The study showed that processed slaughterhouse by-products can be a cost-effective replacement for fish meal in tiger shrimp feeds.