INFLUENCE OF DISTILLER'S DRIED GRAINS WITH SOLUBLES ON GROWTH, FEED UTILIZATION AND ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus) DIETS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Cent. Lab. Aquac. Res., Abbasa, Abo-Hammad, Sharkia, Egypt

2 Anim. Prod. Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of inclusion gradual dietary levels of yellow corn distiller dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on productive performance and economic efficiency of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) diets. Two hundred of Nile tilapia fingerlings (average body weight, 12.86 g ± 0.14) were randomly divided into five experimental groups [4 replicates (glass aquaria), 10 fingerlings per each]. Five diets were formulated to contain 0 (basal diet), 5, 10, 20 and 30% DDGS (D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, respectively) as a partial replacement of the basal diet (D1). Each diet fed to Nile tilapia fingerlings twice daily to apparent satiation for 16 weeks. All dietary levels of DDGS had no significant (P ≤ 0.05) effect on average body weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, hepatosomatic index and condition factor. The survival rate was improved with D5 compared with D1. Concerning whole body composition, the crude protein content was high in all dietary levels of DDGS than that with the control diet, while the content of ether extract had the opposite trend. Fish fed diets contained DDGS had better protein productive value (PPV) than those fed the control diet. Incorporation of DDGS in tested diets reduced the feed cost per each gain unit. It could be concluded that the inclusion of DDGS up to the level 30% of diets had economic benefits without any adverse effect on performance of Nile tilapia fish.

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