Studies on limiting essential amino acids in grieves as source of dietary protein for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Diets were computed to contain equal concentrations of digestible crude protein either of wheat gluten (diet 1) or of grieves (diets 2-8). Per kg dry diet, 41 g crystalline amino acids were supplemented. All diets contained at least 1.2 g Lys per MJ digestible energy (DE). In diet 2, ratios of Met + Cys, Trp, Leu, Ile and Phe to Lys were about equal to those in diet 1. In each of diets 3-7, one of the respective amino acids, in diet 8 all five were replaced by Glu in the supplemented mixture of amino acids. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of 20 trout during a trial lasting 66 days. Trout fed the diet containing wheat gluten consumed more dry matter and showed higher growth rates as well as higher protein contents in their gained body mass than trout fed diets based on grieves. Supplementing Met plus Trp significantly improved dry matter intake, growth rate and protein content of gain, though not to the level of trout fed the wheat gluten diet, whereas Leu, Ile and Phe showed no such effect. When grieves were not supplemented with both Met and Trp, gain in body mass contained significantly more lipids. DE required per kg gain by trout fed wheat gluten, grieves + Met + Trp or grieves without supplementation of Met and Trp was 20.1, 21.2 and 29.9 MJ, respectively.