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Use of Soy Products Reduces Tilapia Dietary Costs
Research conducted at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore has revealed that substituting fish meal and fish oil with soybean meal and soybean oil in tilapia diets can be both effective and economically beneficial. Three separate trials were carried out under the support of the Maryland State Soybean Committee, aiming to evaluate the impact of different fat sources on fish growth and performance.
The findings indicated that tilapia fed diets containing 2% soybean oil showed no significant differences in weight gain or feed conversion compared to those fed traditional fish oil-based diets. Interestingly, researchers observed that high-oil diets—especially those rich in fish oil—led to a noticeable decline in fish performance. This suggests that while fish oil has long been considered essential for aquaculture, its overuse may actually hinder growth.
For many years, fishmeal and fish oil were the go-to sources of high-quality protein in fish feed. However, their availability has decreased, and prices have risen sharply in recent years. This has pushed scientists, fish farmers, and industry professionals to seek more sustainable and affordable alternatives.
One key advantage of soybean oil is its higher content of linoleic acid, which is more suitable for tilapia than the linolenic acid found in fish oil. Additionally, soybean oil is more resistant to oxidation, reducing the risk of rancidity and potential negative effects from oxidized fats in fish diets.
Another benefit of using soybean oil is its cost-effectiveness. The study aimed to explore the use of soybean meal as the primary protein source in extruded feeds, while controlling diets used fish oil as the main fat source. The trial involved hybrid tilapia fry, around 25 grams each, which were fed different diets over a 10-week period.
The results confirmed that even when soybean oil was included at a level of 2%, there was no significant difference in fish performance. However, tilapia fed high-fish oil diets showed a marked decrease in growth. These findings align with earlier research suggesting that excessive linolenic acid can negatively affect fish development.
Dr. Steven G. Hughes from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore emphasized that, although further analysis on carcass composition is still pending, it’s reasonable to recommend limiting fish oil levels in tilapia feed to below 5% until more data is available.
In addition to this study, another experiment highlighted the potential of soybean protein in fish feed. It evaluated the taste of fillets from tilapia raised on plant-based diets and found no significant differences in flavor compared to those from fish fed conventional diets containing fish meal.
These findings suggest that soy-based ingredients could play an increasingly important role in sustainable aquaculture, offering both economic and nutritional benefits.