Crabmeal as a dietary ingredient for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and Atlantic halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) (Salmo salar, Hippoglossus hippoglossus)

Two twelve week trials were conducted to determine the effect of ABC crab meal (CM) as an alternative protein and feeding stimulant in prepared feeds for Atlantic salmon and Atlantic halibut and a source of dietary astaxanthin for Atlantic salmon. After twelve weeks, CM replacement had no negative effect on specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, or apparent net protein utilization (p>0.05) in trials with Atlantic salmon and Atlantic halibut (p>0.05). Feed intake was higher for salmon fed the 15%CM and 30%CM diets than those fed the 0%CM and 5%CM (p<0.05). Fillet redness, yellowness, and astaxanthin content increased as dietary CM increased from 0 to 30 percent. Apparent digestibility of dietary protein decreased from 91.0% to 88.7% and from 91.0% to 88.7% while digestible energy decreased from 92.0% to 89.5% and from 92.0% to 89.5% for salmon and halibut respectively as dietary CM increased from 0 to 30% (P<0.05).