The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the climate impact from different arable land use options and protein feeds aimed for cattle. This has been made by executing two life cycle assessments (LCAs). The first LCA aimed to compare the following three arable land use options: Cultivation of wheat used for production of bioethanol, carbon dioxide and DDGS Cultivation of rapeseed used for production of RME, rapeseed meal and glycerine Fallow in the form of long-term grassland The second LCA aimed to compare the three protein feeds DDGS, rapeseed meal and soybean meal. In the LCA of arable land, the functional unit 1 ha arable land during one year was used and the LCA had a cradle-to-grave perspective. The LCA of protein feeds had the functional unit 100 kg digestible crude protein and had a cradle-to-gate perspective, hence the use and disposal phases of the feeds were excluded. Bioethanol, DDGS and carbon dioxide produced at Lantmännen Agroetanol, Norrköping, were investigated in this study. The production of RME, rapeseed meal and glycerine were considered to occur at a large-scale plant in Östergötland, but no site-specific data was used. Instead, general data of Swedish production was used in the assessment. The wheat and rapeseed cultivations were considered to take place at the same Swedish field as the fallow takes place. The protein feed DDGS was produced at Lantmännen Agroetanol and the rapeseed meal was assumed to be produced at a general large-scale plant in Sweden. In the soybean meal scenario, a general case for the Brazilian state Mato Grosso was assumed and no specific production site was investigated. Data required for the LCAs was retrieved from literature, the LCI database Ecoinvent and from Lantmännen Agroetanol. In the LCA of arable land use options, system expansion was used on all products produced to be able to compare the wheat and rapeseed scenarios with the fallow scenario. In the LCA of protein feeds, system expansion was used on co-products. The products in the arable land use options and the co-products in the protein feed scenarios are considered to replace the production and use of products on the market with the same function. The result shows that the best arable land use option from a climate change perspective is to cultivate wheat and produce bioethanol, carbon dioxide and DDGS. This is since wheat cultivation has a higher yield per hectare compared to rapeseed and therefore a bigger amount of fossil products and feed ingredients can be substituted. To have the arable land in fallow is the worst option from a climate change perspective, since no products are produced that can substitute alternative products. Furthermore, the result shows that DDGS and rapeseed meal are to prefer before soybean meal from a climate change perspective, since soybean meal has a higher climate impact than DDGS and rapeseed meal. This can be explained by the smaller share of co-products produced in the soybean meal scenario compared to the DDGS and rapeseed meal scenarios. Since the production and use of co-products leads to avoided greenhouse gas emissions (since they substitute alternatives), the amount of co-products being produced is an important factor. A sensitivity analysis was also executed testing different system boundaries and variables critical for the result in both LCAs. The conclusion of this study is that arable land should be used to cultivate wheat in order to reduce the total climate impact from arable land. Furthermore, it is favorable for the climate if DDGS or rapeseed meal are used as protein feeds instead of imported soybean meal.

Orientador: João Batista Kochenborger Fernandes / Banca: Elisabeth Criscuolo Urbinati / Banca: Maria Cristina Thomaz / Banca: Teresa Cristina Ribeiro Dias Koberstein / Banca: Antônio Cleber da Silva Camargo / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito da utilização de dietas contendo diferentes ingredientes fibrosos (farelo de soja, casca de soja, farelo de girassol e polpa cítrica, este ultimo avaliado em dois níveis de inclusão) sobre o tempo de trânsito gastrointestinal, as digestibilidades da proteína e da energia, o desempenho, a composição corporal, os parâmetros bioquímicos, os índices organométricos e a morfometria intestinal de juvenis de pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Os peixes alimentados com as dietas contendo farelo de soja e farelos de girassol tiveram os melhores resultados de digestibilidade e desempenho, sem apresentar alterações fisiológicas e metabólicas. A inclusão casca de soja na dieta atrasou o tempo de trânsito gastrointestinal, piorou a digestibilidade da proteína e da energia, prejudicou o desempenho, diminuiu as proteínas totais sangüíneas e aumentou a porcentagem de lipídeo muscular. A dieta contendo 45% polpa cítrica acelerou o tempo de trânsito gastrointestinal, piorou o desempenho, provocou alterações na composição corporal e na morfometria intestinal. Cada ingrediente fibroso, em função de sua composição de fibras alimentares e carboidratos complexos, altera o funcionamento do sistema digestório e o aproveitamento de nutrientes, com conseqüências sobre a fisiologia, o metabolismo e o desempenho dos juvenis de pacu / Abstract: This study aim was to evaluate the effects of diets containing different fiber sources (soybean meal, soybean hulls, sunflower meal and citrus pulp, this last evaluated at two inclusion levels) on gastrointestinal transit time, protein and energy digestibility of protein, performance, body composition, biochemical parameters, organometric index and intestinal morphology of juvenile pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Fish fed diets containing soybean meal and sunflower meal had best digestibility and performance results, with no physiological and metabolic diseases. The inclusion of soybean hulls in the diet delayed gastrointestinal transit time, decreased the digestibility of protein and energy, worsened performance, reduced total blood proteins and increased the percentage of muscle lipid. Diet containing 45% citrus pulp accelerated gastrointestinal transit time, worsened performance, led to changes in body composition and affects the intestinal morphology. Each fibrous ingredient, depending on dietary fiber and complex carbohydrates composition, differently affects the digestive system functioning and nutrient use, with consequences on physiology, metabolism and performance of juvenile pacu / Doutor

The current research was done to evaluate the nutritive values and the ruminal degradation of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) from three non-conventional oil cakes, viz: amarula (Sclerocarya birrea) (AOC), macadamia (Integrifolia) (MOC) and baobab (Adansonia digitate L.) (BOC). The oil cakes were collected from biodiesel producers in Limpopo Province, transported to the ARC-Animal Production campus, where proximate and ruminal nutrient degradation analysis were conducted. Triplicates samples from each oil cake were analyzed for the nutritive values, mineral and amino acids contents. Three rumen cannulated mid-lactating (days in milk; DIM: 180±5) Holstein cows weighing 667±43 kg body weight were allocated to determine the in situ ruminal dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) degradation. The cows were offered a totally mixed ration (TMR) (60 concentrate: 40 forage ratio) that was compounded according to their daily nutrient requirements, and were milking was done twice per day at 12 hrs intervals. The three oil cake samples were ground using a 2-mm screen after which sub-samples (6.5 g) were put in 10 x 20 cm; 50 μm pore size polyester bags to achieve 15 mg/cm² (ratio of the sample size to surface area). The bags were then fistulated in each cow’s rumen in triplicate for a period of 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, or 48 hrs. After being incubated, the bags were removed from the rumen and washed with cold (4°C) water in 20-L buckets. Following immersing in cold water, the bags were machine washed until clean water was obtained. The bags were then dried at 60 °C in an oven for 48 hrs. The dried bags were individually weighed, and the content of each bag were removed and stored into glass vial until analysis. The remaining two duplicate sets of each sample were rinsed using cold water in order to determine solubility at 0 hrs. The AOC had higher (P<0.05) ether extract (EE) and CP content than both BOC and MOC. Macadamia oilcake (MOC) and BOC had higher (P<0.05) fractions of fibre (NDF, ADF and ADL) compared to the AOC. The AOC had greater (P<0.05) content of essential amino acids than in the BOC and MOC. Additionally, AOC had a high (P<0.05) phosphorus, but low calcium and potassium concentration. While AOC had high effective degradability of DM, it also had high water soluble as well as DM and CP rapidly degradable fractions. Effective degradation of CP was higher in AOC and BOC than in MOC. However, BOC had a high insoluble but degradable fraction of CP. Further work to determine the toxicology of these non-conventional oil cakes and animal feeding experiments is needed / Agriculture and  Animal Health / MSc. Agriculture

La présente étude s’inscrit dans une approche perspective d’augmentation de la production halieutique nationale par l’amélioration des techniques piscicoles déjà existantes, notamment les trous traditionnels à poissons (whedos), dans le delta du fleuve Ouémé (sud Bénin). Les premières approches de nos investigations montrent que, sur le plan socio-économique, l’augmentation de la productivité des whedos s’avère nécessaire pour l’amélioration des conditions de vie des pêcheurs dans la Vallée de l’Ouémé. En effet, avec le mode actuel de gestion des whedos, le revenu net par hectare et par an peut varier entre 182.000 et 572.000 Fcfa. Il représente au niveau actuel environ 27 % des revenus totaux de la pêche par ménage. Cependant, avec la mise en charge et l’alimentation artificielles d’espèces piscicoles adaptées, telles que les poissons-chats Clarias gariepinus et Heterobranchus longifilis, des rendements annuels de 3 à 36 t ha-1 peuvent être obtenus en fonction des densités d’élevage (respectivement de 4 à 24 poissons m-3). Les revenus nets provenant d’une telle gestion sont assez importants et peuvent varier en fonction de la densité de mise en charge, entre 1.664.000 et 31.675.000 Fcfa (respectivement de 4 à 24 poissons m-3). Ainsi, bien que la densité de 10,5 poissons m-3 soit apparue comme étant idéale pour l’optimisation des performances zootechniques, la recherche du profit maximal nous amène à suggérer pour la promotion de l’élevage de C. gariepinus dans les whedos, l’utilisation des densités plus élevées (environ 24 poissons m-3) afin de maximiser leurs capacités de production. Par ailleurs, la nécessité de production massive d’alevins de ces poissons-chats s’est avérée indispensable pour la promotion effective de leur élevage en whedos. A cet effet, nous avons évalué quelques aspects de l’élevage larvaire de ces espèces (âge de sevrage et densité de stockage), de même que les effets zootechniques et nutritionnels de différents régimes à base des tourteaux de soja et de coton aussi bien chez les larves que les juvéniles. Il ressort de ces études que le sevrage des larves de H. longifilis, maintenues à des densités de 10 à 25 individus L-1, est nécessaire entre les jours 5 et 8 post-éclosion afin d’optimiser aussi bien les performances zootechniques qu’économiques de l’élevage. D’autre part, le tourteau de soja s’est avéré plus efficace que celui de coton aussi bien chez les larves que les juvéniles de ces poissons-chats. Cependant, la présence des facteurs antinutritionnels, notamment l’acide phytique, limite les niveaux d’utilisation de ces tourteaux dans les régimes, étant donné que chez les juvéniles des réductions significatives des teneurs corporelles en minéraux, notamment en P, Zn et Mn ont été observées avec les régimes contenant jusqu’à 60 % de ces tourteaux. The present study aims to appraise the perspectives to increase the national fish production by improving the existing fish production systems, as the traditional fish pond (whedos), in the Ouémé River delta (southern Benin). The first approaches of our investigations show that, on the socio-economic level, the increase in the productivity of the whedos seems necessary to improve the livelihood conditions of the fishermen in the Ouémé Valley. Indeed, with the current mode of management of these whedos, we have observed that the net income per hectare can vary between 182,000 and 572,000 Fcfa. It represents, at the current level, approximately 27 % of the total incomes of fishing per household. However, by artificial stocking with adapted fishes, such as the catfishes Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus longifilis, and feeding, the annual outputs from 3 to 36 t ha-1 can be reached according to the stocking densities (from 4 to 24 fish m-3, respectively). The nets incomes generated from such management are rather important and can vary according to the stocking densities from 1,664,000 to 31,675,000 Fcfa (from 4 to 24 fish m-3, respectively). Although the density of 10.5 fish m-3 seemed ideal for the optimization of zootechnical parameters, the search of maximum profit leads us to suggest the higher densities (approximately 24 fish m3) for rearing African catfish in the whedos. Moreover, to improve the knowledge of these catfishes fingerlings production, we evaluated some aspects of the larval rearing (weaning time and stocking density), just as the nutritional effects of various diets, based on soybean or cottonseed meals, in the larvae as well as in the juveniles. It arises from these studies that, the weaning of H. longifilis larvae maintained at the densities from 10 to 25 L-1, is necessary between days 5 and 8 posthatch in order to optimize the zootechnical and economical performances of the rearing. Furthermore, we have observed that soybean meal was more effective than cottonseed meal in the larvae as well as in the juveniles. However, the presence of antinutrients factors, particularly the phytic acid, limit the levels of inclusion of these oilseed meals in the diets, since in juveniles, significant reductions of the body minerals contents, particularly P, Zn and Mn, were observed with the diets containing up to 60 % of these plants ingredients.

One of the major problems facing aquaculture in Ghana is the non-availability of quality and affordable fish feeds. The present study investigated the nutritional suitability and cost-effectiveness of some Ghanaian oilseed by-products, soybean meal (Glycine spp), cottonseed meal (Gossypium spp), groundnut cake (Arachis hypogaea L.) and groundnut husk, as alternative protein sources to fishmeal (FM) in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.). The oilseed meals were used individually, as mixtures, as mixtures enriched with methionine and mixtures detoxified by heat processing (autoclaving) and/or addition of supplements (viz. phytase and ferrous sulphate) intended to reduce levels of the most important antinutritional factors (ANFs). Diets, containing the oilseed meals at inclusion levels from 25% to 75% dietary protein, were formulated to be isonitrogenous (320 g.kg-1), isolipidic (100 g.kg-1) and isoenergetic (18 KJ.g-1) and fed to juvenile Nile tilapia at 4-10% of their body weight for a period of eight weeks. Proximate analysis showed that soybean meal (SBM), cottonseed meal (CSM), groundnut cake (GNC) and groundnut husk (GNH) had 500.3, 441.4, 430.5 and 205.6 g.kg-1 crude protein, 38.2, 89.5, 12.8 and 89.2 g.kg-1 crude fibre and 20.19, 19.61, 23.17 and 22.18 kJ.g-1 gross energy respectively. Generally the oilseed meals had good essential amino acid (EAA) profiles with the exception of GNH. The EAA profile of SBM compared very well with FM but methionine and threonine were low (0.73 and 1.50 % of protein respectively) and the same was true for CSM and GNC with even lower levels. Analyzed ANFs in SBM, CSM, GNC and GNH were 17.54, 31.64, 14.86 and 3.99 g.kg-1 phytic acid, 14.09, 1.24 and 2.34 g.kg-1 trypsin inhibitors and 5.80, 6.50, 8.01 and 10.08 g.kg-1 saponin respectively and in CSM 5.6 g.kg-1 gossypol. Nutrient digestibility of these oilseed proteins suggested that Nile tilapia may be able to utilize SBM, CSM and GNC efficiently as dietary protein sources due to high apparent protein digestibility of 94.50%, 84.93% and 90.01% respectively. However, GNH may not be suitable because of very low apparent protein digestibility (27.67%). These protein sources when used individually were shown to cause depressed growth and feed efficiency when substituting more than 50% of the FM protein in diets. This may be attributed to high levels of ANFs, high fibre content and poor EAA profile. However, the use of mixtures of these meals was found to be marginally more effective than that of single sources. This may have been as a result of lower levels of ANFs and improvement in essential amino acid profile due to mixing. Supplementing the mixtures with methionine led to improvement in feed utilization but without significantly improving the nutritive value compared with FM. Heat processing was effective in reducing heat labile trypsin inhibitors in SBM, CSM and GNC by almost 80%, but not phytic acid and saponins, which remained virtually unaffected. Use of meals detoxified by heat processing with/without supplements at 50% inclusion improved growth and feed utilization compared to the unprocessed meals and performance was generally not significantly different from FM. Cost effectiveness analysis revealed that diets containing single feedstuffs or mixtures, particularly those containing equal proportions of oilseed meals and higher proportion of CSM replacing between 50% - 75% FM protein, were more profitable than FM diet. Similarly, the use of heat processed meals at 50% replacement of FM protein yielded greater profit than all other diets including the FM diet. However, essential amino acid supplementation of the meals was less profitable compared to the control. Generally, fish fed diets with oilseed meals would take longer to attain harvest size compared with FM and this could lead to an increase in production costs or a decrease in the number of production cycles which could be achieved within a year. It can be concluded that there is nutritional and economic justification for using SBM, CSM and GNC as partial replacement for FM in diets of Nile tilapia. Based on growth performance, nutrient utilization and economic benefits the diet with heat processed oilseed meal mixtures (containing equal proportions of 16.67% each) at 50% inclusion has the best prospects for replacing FM protein in diets of O. niloticus.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This work aimed to evaluate the effect of replacing dietary porcine meat meal by different plant-protein sources on the growth, carcass yield, carcass quality, blood parameters and sensory evaluation of the fillets of common carp juveniles. Two experiments were conducted using water re-use system with 15 tanks (280L). In experiment 1, five experimental diets containing plant-protein sources were evaluated (soybean meal - FS, canola meal - FC, sunflower meal - FG and linseed meal - FL) to replace porcine meat meal (FCS - control diet). Common carp juveniles (195, initial weight 43.41g), were randomly distributed in the experimental units, and fed twice daily (09:00 and 15:00) with each of experimental diets, in triplicate. At the end of the trial (71 days), the best growth results were obtained in FCS, followed by FC and FS treatments that did not differ among each other. FCS, FG and FS had the highest values of corporal fat, while FC and FL diets did not show difference. The FL diet showed the worst growth, retention of protein and protein and fat deposition in whole body and fillet. About blood parameters, lower cholesterol was observed in the FG diet and lower aspartate aminotransferase activity was observed in the FL. The other variables did not differ significantly among themselves. Based on the results of experiment 1, the diets of experiment 2 were formulated, which were levels of replacement (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) of porcine meat meal by mixing canola meal + soybean meal. The juveniles (135, initial weight 238.05g), were fed 3% of biomass twice daily (09:00 and 15:00). At 18, 36, 54 and 72 days, linear negative effect of plant-protein inclusion for all parameters of growth was observed, except for condition factor. The same result was obtained for whole body fat deposition, fat and protein deposition in fillet and the total cholesterol in serum. Hemoglobin and hematocrit presented quadratic effect. The other measured parameters were not influenced by diets. Based on this results, we can conclude that a diet based on porcine meat meal provides better growth of common carp juveniles compared to plant-protein based diets, besides increased protein deposition in whole body and fillet; the carcass parameters (yield and digestive indexes) are not affected by the dietary protein sources; color and taste are not affected by the plant-protein based diets; there is linear negative effect of replacing porcine meat meal by the mixture of canola and soybean meal on the growth of common carp juveniles. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a resposta de diferentes fontes protéicas de origem vegetal em substituição à farinha de carne suína da dieta, sobre o crescimento, rendimento e qualidade de carcaça, parâmetros sangüíneos e avaliação sensorial dos filés de juvenis de carpa húngara. Foram realizados dois experimentos, utilizando sistema de recirculação de água com 15 unidades experimentais (280L). No experimento 1, foram avaliadas cinco dietas experimentais. Uma dieta controle (FCS) com apenas farinha de carne suína como fonte protéica e quatro contendo fontes protéicas de origem vegetal (farelo de soja - FS, farelo de canola - FC, farelo de girassol - FG e farelo de linhaça - FL) substituindo 50% da proteína proveniente da farinha de carne suína. Foram utilizados 195 juvenis de carpa húngara (peso médio inicial 43,41g), distribuídos ao acaso nas unidades experimentais, sendo alimentados duas vezes ao dia (9 e 15 horas), em três repetições por tratamento. Ao final do experimento (71 dias), os melhores resultados de crescimento foram obtidos no tratamento FCS, seguido dos tratamentos FC e FS que não diferiram entre si. Para gordura corporal, os tratamentos FCS, FG e FS apresentaram os maiores valores, enquanto as dietas FC e FL não diferiram entre si. O tratamento FL apresentou os piores resultados de desempenho e coeficiente de retenção protéica, bem como as menores deposições de proteína e gordura corporal no filé. Nos parâmetros sangüíneos, menor colesterol foi observado no tratamento FG e menor atividade de aspartato aminotransferase no tratamento FL. As demais variáveis não diferiram significativamente entre si. Em função dos resultados do experimento 1, foram formuladas as dietas do experimento 2, que constituíam níveis de substituição (0, 25, 50, 75 e 100%) da farinha de carne suína pela mistura de farelo de canola + farelo de soja. Foram utilizados 135 animais (238,05g de peso médio inicial), que receberam 3% da biomassa em ração, duas vezes ao dia (9 e 15 horas). Aos 18, 36, 54 e 72 dias, foi observado efeito linear negativo da inclusão de farelos vegetais para todos os parâmetros de crescimento, exceto fator de condição. O mesmo resultado foi obtido para as deposições de gordura corporal e de gordura e proteína no filé, bem como para o colesterol total no soro. Hemoglobina e hematócrito apresentaram comportamento quadrático. Os demais parâmetros avaliados não foram influenciados pelas dietas. Com base nos resultados obtidos, pode-se concluir que a dieta à base de farinha de carne suína proporciona maior crescimento de juvenis de carpa húngara comparada às dietas com farelos vegetais, além de levar a maior deposição de proteína no peixe inteiro e no filé; os parâmetros de carcaça (rendimentos e índices digestivos) não são afetados pelas fontes protéicas da dieta; A cor, tanto na análise sensorial como por determinação instrumental, bem como o sabor dos filés, não são afetados pelas fontes protéicas de origem vegetal. Há efeito linear negativo da substituição da farinha de carne suína pela mistura dos farelos de canola e soja, sobre o crescimento dos juvenis de carpa húngara.

Literature shows that production of cottonseed adhesives is feasible to develop an environmentally friendly and competitive bio-based wood adhesive. Defatted cottonseed and water-washed cottonseed meals were prepared from glandless cottonseed and were used in adhesive formulations to produce three-ply yellow poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) plywood panels as the first objective. These two cottonseed meals were compared with the properties of plywood panels made with an adhesive formulated from a commercial soybean meal, as a control. Adhesive resins were prepared from each protein meal with sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5) and one of two polyamido-amine-epichlorohydrin (PAE) wet strength agents, and the plywood panels were produced by hot pressing for 7, 8.5 and 10 minutes at 135°C with a constant pressure of 1.241 MPa. Panels prepared from three protein meals had comparable shear strengths. The combinations of the two cottonseed preparations and the two wet strength agents produced panels with acceptable wet resistant properties, whereas the soybean meal only produced acceptable panels with one of the wet strength agents. Because the panels prepared from the two cottonseed meals had comparable properties, there appears to be no benefit to including a water-washing step to increase the meal’s protein level. The second objective of this research was to reduce the hot press time and develop cottonseed meals into adhesives to become comparable to commercial soybean-based adhesives. New cottonseed, water-washed cottonseed, and commercial in-house soybean meals were separately prepared with deionized water, sodium metabisulfite, and PAE to produce three-ply yellow poplar plywood panels. The panels were hot pressed for 4, 5, and 6 minutes at 135°C with a constant pressure of 1.241 MPa. Panels prepared from the three meals and commercial soybean plywood panels had comparable mechanical shear strengths and water resistance properties. Results indicated that press time, meal types, and interactions were statistically significant. Shear strength results indicate that cottonseed could be used alternatively to soybean. The new cottonseed panels were more resistant to delamination than soybean. The cottonseed meals showed great promise for applicability as a formaldehyde-free, bio-based, and environmentally friendly hardwood plywood wood-based adhesives product for use in interior type applications.

No description available.

Traditionally, fish meal (FM) and fish oil (FO) have been used extensively in aquafeeds, mainly due to their excellent nutritional properties. However, various reasons dictate the use of sustainable alternatives and the reduction of the dependence on these commodities in fish feeds. Hence, the aim of the present thesis was to investigate the effects of the replacement of FM and FO with two vegetable oils (VO) and an oilseed meal on the growth performance, feed utilization, nutrient and fatty acids (FA) digestibility and tissue FA composition and metabolism in three commercially important European fish species. Specifically, in Experiment I crude palm oil (PO) was used to replace FO in diets for rainbow trout. In Experiments II and III FO was replaced with rapeseed oil (RO) in diets for Atlantic salmon at various dietary protein/lipid levels aiming also at further reductions of FM by using low protein (high lipid) diet formulations. In Experiments II and III the fish were reared at low and high water temperatures, respectively, in order to elucidate, also, the potential effects of temperature. Lastly, the effects of the replacement of FM with full fat soya meal (FFS) in Atlantic cod were investigated in Experiment IV. The results of the present thesis showed no negative effects on growth performance and feed utilization in rainbow trout when FO was replaced with PO. The dietary inclusion of RO improved the growth of Atlantic salmon, possibly, due to changes in the nutrient and FA digestibilities and FA catabolism while, the growth and feed utilization were unaffected by the dietary protein/lipid level. However, the growth of Atlantic cod was affected negatively by the replacement of FM with FFS. The proximate composition of the fish whole body was in most cases unaffected by dietary treatments. The changes in dietary formulations affected the dietary FA compositions and resulted in significant changes in the fish tissue FA compositions. It was clearly shown that the fish tissue total lipid FA composition reflects the FA composition of the diet, although specific FA were selectively utilized or retained in the tissues by the fish. These may have serious implications not only for fish metabolism and growth but also for the quality of the final product, especially in terms of possible reductions of n-3 HUFA.