Marine co‐product meals as a substitute of fishmeal in diets for white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei improve growth,feed intake and muscle HUFA composition

Total replacement of fishmeal using marine co‐product meals in the diets for white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and its effects on growth, feed utilization and muscle HUFA and sterol composition were assessed in a 45‐day feeding trial with juvenile shrimp (0.32 g mean initial weight). Eight dietary treatments were tested: a control diet containing fishmeal (FM), a commercial shrimp diet as external reference and six diets where the FM in the control diet was totally replaced by pen shell scallop viscera (Pinna rugosa), squid viscera (Dosidicus gigas) or whole chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) meals, produced by two methods: (i) cooking followed by grinding and drying and (ii) grinding followed by drying. Survival in all treatments was above 92%, except in the commercial diet (77%). The growth response, feed utilization and chemical composition of shrimp varied among the treatments and were affected in different ways by the by‐products and the meals preparation process. Growth and feed intake were significantly higher in shrimp fed diets containing cooked‐dried squid and pen shell scallop viscera meals, and whole mackerel meal produced by grinding followed by drying. Muscle fatty acid profiles were improved for human consumption when these ingredients were used, compared with the diets containing FM.