Composite Amino Acid Supplementation in Plant-Based Yellow Perch Diets

High protein dried distiller’s grains with solubles (HP-DDGS 37% crude protein, 5% lipid) were tested in combination with fermented soybean meal (FSBM; 51% crude protein, 1% lipid)  or soy protein concentrate (SPC; 73% crude protein, 0% lipid), to assess utility of these protein alternatives. A reference diet containing 50% fish meal and 50% HP-DDGS, as primary protein, was used for comparison to four diets containing 50% HP-DDGS and 50% FSBM or 50% SPC as primary protein, and each with or without a complex of 10 essential amino acids (EAA). Feeds were fed to juvenile YEP (~8.5 g) in a 63-d feeding trial and growth was measured every 21 days. Survival was 100% across all treatments. Diet composition did not have a significant impact on dress-out percentage (P=0.08). Growth was significantly different (P<0.01) and highest for FSBM diets. The hepatosomatic index was significantly different (P=0.03), and highest in diets containing FSBM. Condition was similaly different (P<0.01). Protein efficiency ratio (PER) (P<0.01) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P<0.01) differed among diets; diets supplemented with amino acids had more favorable PER and FCR results