Preliminary Evaluation of Rainbow Trout Diets Containing PepSoyGen, a Fermented Soybean Meal Product, and Additional Amino Acids

Juvenile rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss diets containing PepSoyGen, a commercially-available fermented soybean meal product, were supplemented with methionine and other amino acids. A fish meal-based control and four experimental diets were used in a 36-day feeding trial; two diets contained 40% PepSoyGen and 10% fish meal, and two diets contained 50% PepSoyGen and no fish meal. Each of these diets was supplemented with either methionine, or methionine and additional amino acids. One mortality was observed during the trial. Overall weight gain, percent gain, and feed conversion ratio were significantly greater for the fish meal control than for any of the PepSoyGen diets, although feed conversion ratios from all of the diets were still below 1. Apparent protein digestibility was significantly less in the fish receiving the control diet compared to any of the experimental diets, and significantly increased with increasing PepSoyGen concentrations. There was no significant difference in length, weight, condition factor, hepatosomatic index, viscerosomatic index, or any fish health responses among dietary treatments. Fillet composition, as determined by crude protein, crude lipid, water, and ash, was also not significantly different among fish reared on any of the diets. The supplementation of other amino acids in addition to methionine had no noticeable effect. The results from this study indicate that PepSoyGen with amino acid supplementation can completely replace fish meal in juvenile rainbow trout grower diets over a relatively short time-frame, albeit with some decrease in rearing performance.