Fishmeal replacement by mixed plant proteins and maggot meal on growth performance, target of rapamycin signalling and metabolism in juvenile turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.)

Fishmeal could only be replaced by plant proteins at limited levels in aquafeeds, especially for carnivorous fish. In this study, an experiment was designed to evaluate the possibility of improving the utilization of plant proteins by maggot meal supplementation in turbot diet. Five diets were formulated: a reference diet (FM) containing 63% fishmeal and four experimental diets (35(0%), 35(3%), 40 (0%), 40(3%)) in which fishmeal was substituted at different levels by plant proteins with 0-3% maggot meal. Turbot (4.90 +/- 0.03 g) was fed with these diets for 9 weeks. Fishmeal was successfully replaced by plant proteins in turbot diet without growth reduction at 35% but not 40%. However, maggot supplementation (3%) at 40% plant protein replacement level achieved comparable growth performance with that of fishmeal. Maggot meal supplementation improved apparent digestibility coefficients, plasma hydroxyproline levels, intestine trypsin activities and activated target of rapamycin (TOR) signalling, all of which were decreased or down-regulated after high plant protein replacement. Therefore, this study demonstrated maggot meal, a potential valuable protein source for turbot.