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The production of the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) has expanded to the point of being the most widely cultured species of shrimp. One of the advantages of this species is its acceptance of a wide variety of feed formulations including plant-based feeds. Given the increases in ingredient costs, particularly fish meal, there is considerable interest in the use of alternative feed formulations for cultured species. Given that soybean meal is one of the most widely available protein sources for which production can be expanded, the move to soy-based diets is inevitable. The successful use of alternative feed ingredients for shrimp production depends on a number of factors. This paper summarizes studies regarding the move towards high soy diets concerning manipulation of ingredients and nutrient profiles to maintain balanced feed formulations.

The replacement of marine proteins with vegetable proteins or terrestrial animal byproducts in aquaculture diets has been gaining momentum. This study examines the viability of replacing ¢sh meal in shrimp production diets with alternative protein sources (combinations of vegetable proteins) in inland low salinity waters of west Alabama. The test diets were formulated to contain 36% protein and 8% lipid. The basal diet contained 10% ¢sh meal. The ¢sh meal was then replaced (on a weight to weight basis) with poultry meal (PM), pea meal or distiller's dried grain with solubles (DDGS). Two separate experiments (laboratory trial and farm trial) were devised to test the e⁄cacy of the diets for Litopenaeus vannamei reared in low salinity waters. The laboratory trial was conducted at the E. W. Shell Fisheries Research Station in Auburn, Alabama, USA, whereas the farm trial examined the same diets in an outdoor £ow-through system at a low salinity shrimp farm in west Alabama. Results indicate no signi¢cant di¡erences in shrimp growth, weight gain, survival or feed conversion ratio among dietary treatments, suggesting that PM, pea meal and DDGS can serve as alternatives to ¢sh meal as a protein source for shrimp reared in low salinity environments.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the production response of Litopenaeus vannamei fed with production diets containing increasing percentages (0, 4, 8, and 12%) of soy protein concentrate (SPC). The diets were commercially produced and evaluated in outdoor tanks and 0.1-ha production ponds. In the outdoor green water tank system, the four test diets and a commercial reference diets were offered to juvenile shrimp (1.0 g initial weight) reared over a 10-week period at a stocking density of 30 shrimp per tank. At the conclusion of the tank trial, there were differences in final weight (13.5-15.0) biomass (399 g-432 g), and FCR (1.17-1.28) with the reference diet generally producing significantly better results than the test diets albeit there were no significant differences among the SPC test diets. In addition, the test diets were evaluated in 0.1-ha ponds using four replicates per diet. Nursed juvenile shrimps (0.013 g initial weight) were stocked at 35 shrimp m -2 and were cultured under standardized pond production conditions for 18 weeks. At the conclusions, net yield (4,190-5,051 kg/ha), final mean weight (13.5-15.7 g), survival (86.7-93.3%), and FCR (1.3-1.59) were evaluated with no significant differences between dietary treatments. The results from this study demonstrated that SPC inclusion up to 12% SPC in soybean-based diet can be used in commercial feed formulations for L. vannamei without causing negative effect on growth, feed conversion, survival and net yield.