News & Views
Fermentation changes cottonseed meal nutritional profile: China study

Fermentation can improve the nutritional value of cottonseed meal (CSM) and also reduce its negative impact on growth in juvenile white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, as demonstrated by a study in China.

CSM is a high-quality plant protein for animals. Its high levels of anti-nutritional factors, however, has limited its use in fish feeds to only 10 to 15 per cent of the dry matter.

Fermented cottonseed meal (FCSM) can replace 75 per cent of soybean meal protein in a low fishmeal diet in juvenile white shrimp, and that this could improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and essential amino acid content of the animal, Han et al. cited in the study published on Aquaculture Reports.

“In addition, FCSM increased the diversity of shrimp gut microbiota and improved nutrient utilization and antioxidant capacity by regulating gut microbe-mediated functions.”

Solid fermentation of CSM leads to a process of decomposition, which results in increase crude protein content and production of small peptides and growth-promoting factors, they explained.

Isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were used in the experiments. These include the conventional fishmeal group as the control, and the low fishmeal diet.
FCSM replacement in the soybean meal of the diet was at 0 per cent, 25 per cent, 50 per cent, 75 per cent, and 100 per cent.

Soybean meal is the perennial fishmeal substitute in commercial aquafeeds because of high digestion and absorption rates as well as abundant supplies. It also contains anti-nutritional factors.

The steady increase in its price has led to development of low-priced new plant protein sources.