INCLUSION OF SOYBEAN MEAL AND SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE IN FEEDS FOR ASIAN SEABASS Lates calcarifer

Mark Booth*, Marc Campet, Jorge Alarcon, Lukas Manomaitis
NSW Department of Primary Industries
Taylors Beach, NSW, 2316, Australia
mark.booth@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Asian seabass Lates calcarifer (aka Barramundi) is an important aquaculture species in South East Asia (SEA) and Australia. They readily accept commercial aquafeeds containing a variety of animal and plant meals and are prime candidates for fish meal replacement. NSW DPI and the United Soybean Board of America (USB) have completed several research projects with Asian seabass. The research was aimed at determining the appropriate dietary inclusion of soybean meal (SBM) and soy protein concentrate (SPC) and assist SEA aquafeed companies develop sustainable, low-fishmeal aquafeeds for Asian seabass. To date this research has determined the apparent digestibility of SBM and SPC by Asian seabass as well as the digestibility of other ingredients including poultry meal, blood meal, corn gluten, wheat and gelatinised wheat starch. The digestibility of lower quality fishmeal has also been evaluated as this issue is problematic for feed manufacturers in SEA. The data on digestibility of ingredients was used to formulate a series of semi-commercial aquafeeds for Asian seabass which contained high dietary levels of SBM (up to 38%), or SPC (up to 60%), or feeds that contained a blend of both ingredients. These aquafeeds, along with appropriate controls, were tested on Asian seabass in tank trials in Australia. The successful outcomes of the tank based research resulted in the USB funding a sea-cage verification trial with Asian seabass in Vietnam. This research involved collaboration between NSW DPI, Marine Farms Vietnam (Van Phong Bay, Nha Trang, Vietnam) and the Ocialis Feed Company (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam). The aim of the field trial was to evaluate a range of aquafeeds containing high levels of SBM and SPC and benchmark these feeds against an industry standard. Our presentation will review the results of tank and field-based trials that tested the incorporation of SBM and SPC in aquafeeds for Asian seabass. It will also discuss the biological and economic outcomes of the field trial and the implications these have for the Asian seabass industry.