RESUMEN
In the present study, a linear regression analysis between lysine intake and lysine retention was conducted to investigate the efficiency of lysine utilisation (k(Lys)) at marginal lysine intake of either protein-bound or free lysine sources in juvenile turbot (Psetta maxima). For this purpose, nine isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to contain 2·25-4·12 g lysine/100 g crude protein (CP) to ensure that lysine was the first-limiting amino acid in all diets. The basal diet contained 2·25 g lysine/100 g CP. Graded levels of casein (Cas), fishmeal (FM) and L-lysine HCl (Lys) were added to the experimental diets to achieve stepwise lysine increments. A total of 240 fish (initial weight 50·1 g) were hand-fed all the experimental diets once daily until apparent satiation over a period of 56 d. Feed intake was significantly affected by dietary lysine concentration rather than by dietary lysine source. Specific growth rate increased significantly at higher lysine concentrations (P< 0·001). CP, crude lipid and crude ash contents in the whole body were affected by the dietary treatments. The linear regression slope between lysine retention and lysine intake (k(Lys)) was similar between all the dietary lysine sources. The k(Lys) values for the diets supplemented with Cas, Lys or FM were 0·833, 0·857 and 0·684, respectively. The bioavailability of lysine from the respective lysine sources was determined by a slope-ratio approach. The bioavailability of lysine (relative to the reference lysine source Cas) from FM and Lys was 82·1 and 103 %, respectively. Nutrient requirement for maintenance was in the range of 16·7-23·4 mg/kg(0·8) per d, and did not differ between the treatments. There were no significant differences in lysine utilisation efficiency or bioavailability of protein-bound or crystalline lysine from the respective sources observed when lysine was confirmed to be the first-limiting nutrient.