Application of different types of protein hydrolysate in high plant protein diets for juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

A 10-week feeding experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different types of dietary protein hydrolysate (PH) on growth performance, body composition, trypsin activity and serum transaminase of juvenile turbot. Four high plant protein diets contained different types of PH, fish PH (FPH), yeast PH (YPH), pig blood PH (PBPH) and soy PH (SPH), replacing 10% fishmeal of the basal diet. The basal diet with 30% fishmeal and no PH was used as the control diet (C). Each diet was assigned to triplicate groups of 30 fish. The specific growth rate (SGR) was not significantly different between groups C and FPH, but groups C and FPH showed significantly higher SGR than other groups. The feed efficiency ratio (FER) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were not significantly different among groups C, FPH and YPH, but groups PBPH and SPH showed significantly lower FER and PER than groups C and FPH. Group PBPH showed significantly higher hepatosomatic index than other groups except YPH. Fish fed YPH showed significantly lower whole-body protein content, but significantly higher whole-body lipid content than fish fed diets C, FPH and PBPH. The activities of serum GOT and GPT in group PBPH were higher than those in groups C, FPH and YPH. These results suggested that when used at a low level in high plant protein diets for juvenile turbot, FPH is a good alternative protein source and YPH also has the application potential, but PBPH and SPH can cause negative impacts on fish growth and health.