Growth, carcass composition, and taste of rainbow trout of different strains fed diets containing primarily plant or animal protein

Ten rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) strains were evaluated during early growth from 30 g to 250 g on two diets — one based on plant protein (soybean and cottonseed meal) and the other on animal protein (fish meal). Diets were formulated to be nutritionally isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Fish were fed identical starter diets until they weighed 30 g. Significant differences in growth rate were found attributable to fish strain. Differences associated with diet were nonsignificant. Percent dress-out data based on eviscerated weight, deboned weight, and fillet weight also showed significant differences in yield attributable to fish strain, but not to diet. Carcass composition varied among strains, but none of the differences could be attributed to diet. Organoleptic tests showed no differences in flesh acceptability associated with either fish strain or diet, and all trout tested were equally acceptable to human taste panels.