Evaluation of potential of lupin meal as an alternative to fish meal in juvenile Penaeus monodon diets

An indoor feeding trial in a flow-through marine water system was performed to evaluate the feasibility of using dehulled lupin Lupinus albus seed meal as a protein source to replace fish meal in diets for the juvenile Penaeus monodon. Five isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) diets formulated by replacing 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of fish meal protein by lupin meal protein were fed to shrimp (mean initial weight of 4.32 ± 0.23 g) three times daily at a feeding allowance of 5% body weight per day for 42 days. Shrimp fed diets with 0, 25, 50 and 75% replacement had similar (P > 0.05) weight gain, dry matter feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and apparent net protein utilization (ANPU). Shrimp fed the highest dietary inclusion level of lupin meal (100% replacement) had significantly (P < 0.05) lower responses for all the above parameters than shrimp fed all other diets. Survival was high (87–100%) and similar for all diets. Apparent dry matter digestibility (ADMD) of diets with 25, 50, 75 and 100% replacement of fish meal with lupin meal was similar (75.6–76.6%) and significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of diet with 0% replacement (73.9%). Diets containing the two highest lupin inclusion levels (75 and 100% replacement) had significantly (P < 0.05) better apparent protein digestibility (APD) than those containing the two lowest lupin meal inclusion levels (0 and 25% replacement). There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in whole-body composition (dry matter, protein, lipid and ash) of shrimp fed on the various diets. Pellet water stability was inversely related to level of lupin meal inclusion. It was found, in this study, that up to 75% protein of fish meal can be replaced with the protein of dehulled lupin seed meal in diets for juvenile P. monodon. The diet with total replacement of fish meal containing 40% lupin meal was utilized very poorly by the shrimp.