Attractability and palatability of formulated diets incorporated with chicken feather and algal meals for juvenile gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata

Treated chicken feather meal with 20, 35 and 50% replacement of fish meal (20, 35, 50 CHF), algal meal with 20 and 35% replacement of fish meal (20, 35 AM) and control diet (CNL) were tested for attractability and palatability to juvenile gilthead seabream, Sparus aurata. Biochemical analysis of the ingredients revealed that treated chicken feather meal (CHF) had high levels of amino acids (AA), and high levels of protein whereas, AM and CNL had high levels of amino acid compositions (AA) except protein content for AM. The biochemical profile of CHF was only moderately superior to that of CNL. Algal meals (20% and 35%) were more attractable and palatable than the control whereas, 20, 35 and 50% CHF were not attractive. The 20 and 35% CHF were not palatable while 50% CHF was more palatable than CNL, 20 and 35% CHF. Attractability and palatability of treated chicken feather meal and algal meal to juvenile seabream were fairly consistent with the biochemical profile of the formulated diets.