Feeding Raw Soybean Meal to Indian Carp Not Recommended

Indian researchers conducted a study to determine the effect of feeding raw soybean meal on the growth, nutrient utilization and enzyme activity of Indian carp (Catla catla). Fish were fed isocaloric and isonitrogenous semi-purified diets containing 0, 5, 10, 20 or 30% raw soybean meal for 70 days. Results indicated that including raw soybean meal in the diet significantly reduced fish gains and protein utilization compared to the treatment with no soybean meal. Trypsin inhibitor units in the diet were negatively correlated with weight gain (r=-0.7557), protein digestibility (r=-0.9541, trypsin (r=-0.9087) and protease activity (r=-0.8596), and positively correlated with amylase activity (r=0.7802) and carbohydrate digestibility (r=0.8140). The increased trypsin inhibitor activity resulted in increased hypertrophy of the pancreatic, kidney and liver tissue. Even though the raw soybean diets did not increase fish mortality, as little as five percent raw soybean meal in the diet will reduce the growth rate of Indian carp.

Patnaik, D., N.P. Sahu and A. Chaudhari. 2005. Effects of feeding raw soybean meal to fry of India major carp, Catla catle, on growth, survival and protein digestibility. Israel J. Aquaculture-Bamidgeh 57(3): 164-174.