The effect of dietary protein-energy levels on growth and metabolism of milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal)

Abstract

<ol><li>Groups of milkfish juveniles (mean weight, 2.8 g) were fed diets containing white fishmeal and gelatin with varying protein-energy to total metabolizable energy (PE:TME) ratios.</li><li>Amino acids were incorporated in the diets to stimulate the pattern of milkfish protein. The control diet contained fishmeal as sole protein source and was not supplemented with amino acids</li><li>Among the amino acid supplemented diets, best growth was observed at PE:TME ratio of 44.4%. However, the control diet gave better growth rate than any of the amino acid supplemented diets</li><li>Specific activities of pyruvate kinase (PK) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) increased significantly with increase in dietary protein-energy level.</li>