Utilization of domestic plant components in diets for common carp Cyprinus carpio L.

The aim of this work was to determine the possibilities of substituting domestic plant protein ingredients for fish meal in complete diets in rearing different age/size groups of carp, Cyprinus carpio L. at high intensification. The mixture of legume seeds and extracted rapeseed meal used in the studies can partially replace fish meal in complete diets for carp, while the effective level of fish meal replacement was varied and depended on the carp age/size group. Introducing mixtures of plant components up to 26 and 22%, respectively, to the diets of carp early juveniles and juveniles did not adversely affect rearing results. The best results in rearing two-year old and market carp were obtained using diets that contained mixtures of plant components of 32 and 27%, respectively. Analyses were performed on the dependence between the share of plant protein in the dietary protein of the individual diets and the mean individual weight of carp and the values of the feed conversion ratio. This provided the basis for the conclusion that plant protein can comprise from 30-35% of the total protein pool in the diets of carp early juveniles and juveniles, while the maximum allowable share in the diets of two-year old and market carp is 45%. The experimental diet used in the feeding of market carp did not have an impact on the sensory properties of the fish meat.