Replacement of fish meal with blend of rendered animal protein in diets for Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii Brandt), results in performance equal to fish meal fed fish

An 8w growth trial was conducted to determine the effect of partial replacement of fish meal (FM) by a blend of rendered animal protein (BAP, comprised of 40% meat and bone meal, 40% poultry by-product meal, 20% hydrolyzed feather meal in diets for juvenile Siberia sturgeon (Acipenser baerii Brandt). Five experimental diets were formulated. The control diet (C) contained 48% FM, whereas in the remaining four diets, FM were replaced by BAP at 25% or 50% level balanced by crystallized amino acid (AA) or spray-dried blood meal (BM), which named as BAP25-AA, BAP25-BM, BAP50-AA and BAP50-BM, respectively. Weight gain rate of BAP50-AA group was significantly higher than that of C group, while other BAP diets did not show negative effect on growth performance. The BAP25-BM group exhibited the lowest feed conversion rate (FCR) (P < 0.05). FM replacement by BAP did not affect chemical composition of the whole body and crude fat level of the liver, but significantly affect the fillet lipid content. Hepatic aspartate aminotransferase and serum total protein, total cholesterol and triglyceride were reduced in fish fed diet BAP50B. Siberian sturgeon showed high efficiency on utilization of crystalline amino acid as good as those from BM.