Partial substitution of fishmeal with soybean meal products and derivatives in diets for the gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata (L.)

Two growth trials were conducted to evaluate the nutritional quality of several soybean products as constituents in diets for the gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata (L.). In a preliminary experiment, the fish were fed six diets containing different levels of solvent extracted soybean meal as a replacement for white fishmeal at four substitution levels: 10, 20, 30 and 40% of the fishmeal protein component. The diets supported less growth as the inclusion of soybean meal increased. However, significant reductions in growth were apparent at the 30% substitution level. All growth parameters followed the same trend. In the second experiment, six diets with 35% of the total protein contributed from differently processed soybean meals were tested. The products included three industrial full-fat meals heat processed for different periods, a solvent extracted meal and a soya protein concentrate. Protein digestibility coefficients were measured for all the experimental diets. All growth parameters of the fish fed the underheated full-fat meal, solvent extracted meal and soya concentrate were significantly lower than the control group. Protein digestibility coefficients were similar with no statistical differences (P < 0.05).