Open AccessA simple model for the determination of the relative utilization efficiency of protein by blacklip abalone ( Haliotis rubra Leach)
Author(s) -
DUNSTAN G.A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
aquaculture nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.941
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1365-2095
pISSN - 1353-5773
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2095.2008.00629.x
Subject(s) - abalone , biology , anabolism , nutrient , growth rate , zoology , body weight , biochemistry , ecology , endocrinology , fishery , mathematics , geometry
A 6‐week growth rate trial of 6.7 mm ± 1.35 SD long blacklip abalone ( Haliotis rubra ) fed one of four graded protein feeds (26%, 32%, 37%, 45% crude protein, CP) resulted in a maximum average growth rate of 81 μm day −1 (percentage daily weight gain of 5.2% day −1 ) with the 45% CP diet. Based on the results, a new, simple, non‐destructive method to calculate the relative utilization efficiencies (RUE) of nutrients is presented to estimate the relative contributions of a nutrient to growth, body maintenance and the excess used for energy. Calculations of RUE of protein estimated that at the maximum growth rate, 59% of the CP was responsible for growth, while 31% was used for body maintenance and an excess of 10% was lost and presumably catabolized for energy and carbohydrate anabolism. At the %CP where the highest proportion of CP was used for growth, i.e. the maximum RUE of protein for growth (slightly higher at 62%), 35% was used for body maintenance and only 3% of the excess was lost to energy.