Nutritional studies on penaeid prawns: Protein requirements in compounded diets for juvenile Penaeus indicus (Milne Edwards)

The use of dried prawn meal as a high quality reference protein in the nutrition of juvenile Penaeus indicus was investigated through short term growth and feed efficiency trials. Complete substitution at the same level of crude protein gave significantly improved growth rates relative to a control fish meal ration. Live-weight gain at levels ranging from 21–53% crude protein was greatest with a 43% protein diet, although efficiencies of protein utilisation (recorded as P.E.R. values) declined with successive increases in dietary protein. A second experiment to assess the effect of partially replacing prawn meal with fish meal showed that isonitrogenous substitution could be effected to an apparent optimal ratio of 60% fish meal: 40% prawn meal protein. In terms of short term growth and feed efficiency results, this particular meal combination was superior to either prawn or fish meal alone.