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Research article2023Peer reviewed

Growth performance, nutrient utilization and body indices of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings fed local feed ingredients

Niyibizi, L.; Tabaro, S.R.; Vidakovic, A.

Abstract

A 10-week trial was conducted to evaluate growth performance, feed utilization, and somatic indices of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings fed five diets based on local feed protein ingredients (kidney bean leaf meal (KBLM), spent brewer’s grain (SBG), spent brewer’s yeast (SBY), sweet potato leaf meal (SPLM), and wheat middlings (WM) and a fishmeal-based control diet (CD). The experimental diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic, with 27-50% of fishmeal in CD replaced (‘as is’ basis) with test ingredient. Initial average body weight of individual fish was 28.9±1.88 g and final body weight (FBW) was 60.2±2.81 g. Weight gain (WG) and FBW were highest (p<0.05) for fish fed CD, followed by SPLM, SBY, SBG, WM, and KBLM in that order. Specific growth rate (SGR) was highest in fish fed CD and SPLM, followed by SBY and SBG, and lowest in fish fed WM and KBLM. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was highest in fish fed KBLM and lowest in fish fed CD and SPLM. Survival was 75-87% and did not differ between the groups. Hepato-somatic index (HSI) and viscera-somatic index (VSI) also did not differ across dietary treatments. These results indicate that SPLM, SBY, and SBG protein can efficiently replace fishmeal in Nile tilapia diets without adverse effects on growth, feed utilization, or body indices, acting as a valuable protein source for sustainable tilapia production.

Keywords

agro-industrial by-products; aquaculture; fishmeal; Rwanda; vegetable ingredients

Published in

Livestock Research For Rural Development
2023, volume: 35
Publisher: Fundacion CIPAV

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Fish and Aquacultural Science

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/129585