The potential use of palm kernel meal in the pacific white shrimp (penaeus vannamei) feed / Nor Syafinaz Shamsuddin

Utilisation of plant proteins to replace fish meal in shrimp feeds has become an important consideration because fish meal has becoming more expensive due to global demand increment in aquaculture. The potential use of palm kernel meal (PKM) in this study to substitute fish meal in Pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) diets was evaluated by conducting a 90-day feeding trial. Shrimps individuals (750 juveniles) with an initial average weight of 0.4g, protein content of 10.74%±0.70 were randomly distributed into five treatments in triplicates. Five isonitrogenous (35% protein) diets were formulated to contain 0% (DO), 25% (D25), 50% (D50) and 75% (D75) of PKM replacement and a commercial feed served as control treatment (Control). The juveniles were hand fed twice daily at 7% of their biomass (50% at 0800 hrs and 50% at 1630 hrs). Results from this study revealed that shrimps fed D25 were comparable with those fed with Control as there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in weight gain and specific growth rate (SGR) between the groups. Levels of PKM inclusion above 50% showed detrimental effects on growth performance. The proximate analysis was accomplished according to the standard AOAC (Association of Analytical Communities) methods. The highest total protein percent was observed in shrimp tissues fed with D25 (67.59%±0.87) and D75 showed the lowest protein among treatments (57.4%±0.63) (p < 0.05). Total lipid content was observed high in shrimps fed with Control (4.33%±2.96) and decreased with PKM replacement levels. Highest carbohydrate was found in shrimps fed with D75 (16.75%±0.04) and the lowest was found in shrimps fed with D25 (14.67%±0.07). Highest accumulation of total ash was found in shrimps fed on D75 (10.12±0.12) and the lowest total ash was found in D25 (7.34±0.34). Total ash in shrimp tissue showed a significant difference between all treatments (p < 0.05). Highest total moisture was found in shrimp fed on D75 (13.66±0.31) and lowest in D25 (6.07±0.09). However, there was no significant difference in total lipid, moisture and carbohydrate in shrimp tissues (p < 0.05). Total lipid, total carbohydrate and total ash contents in shrimp tissues showed positive relationships with growth performance. However, total moisture in shrimp tissue was found to displayed a negative relationship with the growth of shrimps. These results indicate that fish meal can be replaced with PKM in shrimp diets with minimal effects on shrimp nutritional composition.