Designing appropriate feeds and feeding program for a species requires a fundamental understanding of the protein and energy requirements of the species and its growth potential. This article summarizes an exhaustive amount of experimental data in gilthead seabream into models that are relatively easy to understand and apply in practical feed formulation and feeding program development. It presents the energy and protein requirements of the species for maintenance and growth and relates them to environmental and metabolic factors.
It concludes that due to the fact that protein and energy demands are constantly changing, different diets would have to be formulated for growing seabream. For example, it is more practical to use lower energy diets for smaller fish, as they show a capacity for high feed intake. For bigger fish, gilthead seabream production would be better served by using a higher energy diet, as the ration size when offering a low energy diet would approach the physical limits of the fish.
Designing appropriate feeds and feeding program for a species requires a fundamental understanding of the protein and energy requirements of the species and its growth potential. This article summarizes an exhaustive amount of experimental data in gilthead seabream into models that are relatively easy to understand and apply in practical feed formulation and feeding program development. It presents the energy and protein requirements of the species for maintenance and growth and relates them to environmental and metabolic factors.
It concludes that due to the fact that protein and energy demands are constantly changing, different diets would have to be formulated for growing seabream. For example, it is more practical to use lower energy diets for smaller fish, as they show a capacity for high feed intake. For bigger fish, gilthead seabream production would be better served by using a higher energy diet, as the ration size when offering a low energy diet would approach the physical limits of the fish.
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