Replacement of fish meal with two fermented soybean meals in diets for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The present study investigated the effect of fish meal (FM) replacement with fermented soybean meal (FSM) on growth and feed utilization of rainbow trout. Two FSM products, FSM1 (more fermentation with more small peptide and acid than FSM2) and FSM2 were used to replace 20%, 40% and 60% of FM in control diet (250 g/kg FM), respectively (FSM1-20, FSM1-40, FSM1-60, FSM2-20, FSM2-40 and FSM2-60). Then the seven diets were fed to rainbow trout (18.1 g) for 8 weeks. Weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and digestibility of crude protein and dry matter showed no significant difference among the groups of FSM1-20, FSM1-40, FSM2-20, FSM2-40 and the control, but WG significantly decreased and FCR increased when 60% FM was replaced by both FSMs (p < .05). The replacement of 40%, 60% FM resulted in lower villus height than the control (p < .05), and intestinal protease activity was lower in FSM2-40, FSM2-60 and FSM1-60 groups than the control group (p < .05). In addition, the activity of alkaline phosphatase and superoxide dismutase increased with increasing levels of FSM (p < .05). In conclusion, dietary fish meal could be replaced by 40% with both FSMs without adverse effects on growth and feed utilization of rainbow trout based on an eight weeks feeding trial.