Effect of Distiller's Dried Grain with Soluble (DDGS) in Artificial Feed on the Growth, Protein Retention, and Survival Rate of the Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

The Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) is in high demand within the community. Feed is a crucial component of the shrimp production process, accounting for 60-70% of the total production cost. The rising demand and high prices of raw materials for shrimp feed necessitate affordable alternative materials that are available in large quantities and have good nutritional profiles. Distiller's dried grain with solubles (DDGS) is a by-product rich in nutrients, containing 32% protein, 10% fat, and 11% crude fiber, making it a suitable alternative raw material for the Pacific white shrimp feed. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of DDGS in artificial feed on the growth of L. vannamei and to identify the optimal dosage of DDGS for this purpose. Four treatments were conducted: 0, 5, 10, and 15% DDGS per kilogram of feed. The test subjects were the Pacific white shrimp with an average weight of 1.06 ± 0.005 grams. The shrimp were reared in floating nets (3x2x1 m³) placed in a tub (25x10 m²) with a water depth of 9cm, at a stocking density of 720 shrimp per net for 80 days. The results indicated that the inclusion of DDGS significantly affected (P<0.05) total feed consumption (TFC), feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed utilization efficiency (EFU), absolute length growth (LG), absolute weight growth (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), protein retention (PR), and survival rate (SR). The optimum dosage of DDGS was found to be between 13.62 and 19.46% of the feed weight, which produced a TFC of 13.850 g, FCR of 1.48, EFU of 68.27%, absolute length of 8.388cm, SGR of 3.408% per day, PR of 72.15%, and SR of 87.095%. The optimum dosage for absolute weight gain was determined to be 3.78%, resulting in an absolute weight of 12.215g.