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  • Selected Abstracts


    Comparison of total tract digestibility, development of visceral organs and digestive tract of Mong cai and Yorkshire × Landrace piglets fed diets with different fibre sources

    JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 2 2009
    N. T. Len
    Summary The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of piglet age and dietary fibre source on the development of visceral organs and the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), and on growth performance and total tract apparent digestibility (TTAD) in local [pure-breed Mong cai (MC)] and exotic [Landrace × Yorkshire (LY)] piglets. The experimental diets contained different fibre sources: C (basal diet), RB (basal diet + rice bran), SPVM (basal diet + sweet potato vine meal) and CReM (basal diet + cassava residue meal). The neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content in diet C and the fibrous diets was 8.8% and 17.1%,17.7% respectively (dry matter basis). Collection of faecal samples to determine TTAD was carried out for five consecutive days before the experiment was finished (63 days). The piglets were killed at the age of 10 days (before being given the same solid feed), 30 days (weaning, 20 days after solid feed introduced) and 63 days (33 days after being given the different fibrous diets) when the length of intestinal segments, weight of organs (liver, heart, kidneys) and empty weight of the GIT (stomach, small intestine, caecum and colon + rectum) were measured. As the age of animals increased, the relative weight of organs and the length of intestines (expressed on a mass-specific basis) decreased (p < 0.05), and the weight of GIT increased (p < 0.001). The piglets fed fibrous diets had heavier GIT than those fed diet C with the highest values in CReM (p < 0.05). The colon + rectum length was not significantly different among C, RB and SPVM, but was shorter than in CReM (p < 0.05). Coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of nutrients in the fibrous diets was lower than in C (p < 0.01). Average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in C, RB and CReM were not different and were better than in SPVM (p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the weights of organs between the two breeds at day 10, 30 and 63 (p > 0.05). The weight and length of GIT were not significantly different between the two breeds at day 10 and day 30, but were greater for MC at day 63. The caecum and colon + rectum at 10 and 30 days were longer in MC than in LY (p < 0.001). The relative development of GIT post-weaning was higher than pre-weaning, the difference being most apparent in MC. As a result at 63 days, MC had heavier visceral organs and GIT, and longer intestines on fibrous diets than LY (p < 0.05). The MC at 63 days had higher CTTAD of organic matter, gross energy, crude fibre and NDF (p < 0.001) and ether extract and crude protein (p < 0.05), but lower ADG and poorer FCR than LY (p < 0.001). It can be concluded that the GIT of the MC piglets developed more rapidly than LY when they were introduced to solid feed, and that the difference was more marked on the fibrous diets and after weaning, which resulted in higher total tract digestibility of nutrients in MC compared with LY. Cassava residue meal was better digested than RB and SPVM, and supported higher live weight gains. [source]


    Digestibility and nitrogen retention of diets containing different levels of fibre in local (Mong Cai), F1 (Mong Cai × Yorkshire) and exotic (Landrace × Yorkshire) growing pigs in Vietnam

    JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 7-8 2007
    N. T. Len
    Summary Total tract digestibility and nitrogen retention of three diets containing different levels of fibre [200, 260 and 320 g/kg neutral detergent fibre (NDF) in dry matter] were determined in three breeds of growing pig at an initial age of approximately 3.5 months. The breeds were local (Mong Cai, MC), F1 crossbred (MC × Yorkshire) and exotic (Landrace × Yorkshire, LY), allocated at random within breed (block) to double 3 × 3 Latin squares. The main fibrous ingredients of the experimental diets were rice bran, cassava residue meal and non-dehulled groundnut cake meal. Digestibility of organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), NDF, crude fibre, gross energy (GE) and ether extract (EE) decreased as the level of dietary NDF increased (p < 0.001). The r2 values for the relationship between NDF level and digestibility of OM, CP, GE and EE were 83%, 83%, 80% and 82% respectively. On average, an increase in NDF content of 1% unit resulted in a decrease in OM, CP, GE and EE digestibility of 0.67%, 0.75%, 0.50% and 0.42% units respectively. Digestibility of energy and nutrients was the highest for MC and the lowest for LY (p < 0.01), with intermediate values for F1. There was a negative effect of NDF level on nitrogen (N) retained as a proportion of intake (p < 0.05). Nitrogen retention and utilization were significantly higher (p < 0.001) for LY than for MC and F1 pigs. [source]


    Dietary arginine requirement of fingerling Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (Hamilton) based on growth, nutrient retention efficiencies, RNA/DNA ratio and body composition

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 6 2009
    S. F. Abidi
    Summary To quantify the optimum dietary arginine requirement of fingerling Indian major carp, Labeo rohita (4.10 ± 0.04 cm; 0.62 ± 0.02 g), an 8-week growth trial was conducted in eighteen 70-L indoor circular aqua-coloured troughs provided with a flow-through system at 28 ± 1°C. Isonitrogenous (40 g 100 g,1 crude protein) and isocaloric (4.28 kcal g,1 gross energy) amino acid test diets containing casein and gelatin as intact protein sources with graded levels of arginine (0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.50 and 1.75 g 100 g,1 dry diet) were fed to triplicate groups of fish to apparent satiation at 07:00, 12:00 and 17:30 hours. Growth performance of fish fed the above diets was evaluated on the basis of absolute weight gain (AWG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), protein retention efficiency (PRE) and energy retention efficiency (ERE). Maximum AWG (2.61), SGR (2.80), best FCR (1.35), highest PER (1.85), PRE (37%) and ERE (76%) were recorded at 1.25 g 100 g,1 dietary arginine. Maximum body protein (18.88 g 100 g,1) and RNA/DNA ratio (5.20) were also obtained in a 1.25 g 100 g,1 arginine dry diet. Except for the reduced growth performance in fish fed arginine-deficient diets, no other deficiency signs were apparent. Based on the broken-line and second-degree polynomial regression analysis of the AWG, SGR, FCR, PER, PRE and ERE data, the optimum arginine requirement for fingerling Labeo rohita was found to be in the range of 1.22,1.39 g 100 g,1 of the dry diet, corresponding to 3.05,3.47 g 100 g,1 of dietary protein. [source]


    Influence of ciliate protozoa on biochemical changes and hydrolytic enzyme profile in the rumen ecosystem

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2002
    A. Santra
    Aims:,To assess the effect of presence or absence of rumen protozoa on fermentation characteristics and enzyme profile in growing lambs. Methods and Results:,Weaner lambs (G1, G2, G3, G4, G5 and G6 groups) were defaunated by oral administration of sodium laurel sulphate (at 8 g 100 kg,1 body weight). The lambs of G4, G5 and G6 groups were refaunated. The roughage and concentrate ratio in the diet of G1 and G4, G2 and G5, and G3 and G6 were 50:50 (R1), 65:35 (R2) and 80:20 (R3), respectively. Daily dry matter intake was similar in defaunated and faunated lambs. However, digestibility of organic matter (OM), cellulose and gross energy were lower in defaunated lambs while crude protein (CP) digestibility was similar in both defaunated and faunated lambs. The rumen pH and NH3 -N were lower (P < 0·01) while TVFA, total-N and TCA-ppt-N were higher (P < 0·01), in defaunated lambs. Ruminal activity of carboxymethyl cellulase was lower (P < 0·01) in defaunated lambs and amylase, xylanase, protease and urease were similar in faunated and defaunated lambs. Nutrient utilization, rumen metabolites and ciliate protozoal count were higher, whereas digestibility of fibre fractions was lower in high rather than low concentrate fed lambs. The rumen protozoa present before defaunation were B-type and the protozoa which re-established on refaunation were also B-type. Conclusions:,Absence of ciliate protozoa decreased nutrient digestibility and increased ruminal TVFA and total-N with lower NH3 -N concentration, indicating better energy and protein utilization in defaunated lambs. Significance and Impact of the Study: Defaunation improved energy and protein utilization in lambs. [source]


    Olive oil mill waste water as a replacement for fresh water in the manufacture of fired clay bricks

    JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 8 2006
    Houda Mekki
    Abstract This paper describes the introduction of olive mill wastewater (OMW) to replace fresh water normally used in clay brick manufacture. OMW is recognised as the major agro-food industry pollutant in the Mediterranean/North African olive-growing region. The research involved adding OMW to laboratory-produced clay bricks following the same making procedure used at a collaborating Tunisian brick factory. The samples containing OMW were found to be comparable in forming/extrusion performance to a control product that used fresh water. If introduced at the factory scale, this innovation would allow a substantial volume of OMW to be recycled, saving on the fresh water currently used in the brick-forming process. During the subsequent brick drying operation, most of the OMW (,98% water) would be released as vapour. Once in the kiln, the remaining solids in the bricks (calorific value 21,23 MJ kg,1) would liberate additional heat, reducing the gross energy from fossil fuel currently required during firing. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Characterisation of the leaf meals, protein concentrates and residues from some tropical leguminous plants

    JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 9 2006
    J Oluwasola Agbede
    Abstract Leaf meals (LMs) from freshly harvested leaves of butterfly pea (Centrosema pubescens), devil bean (Mucuna pruriens), flamboyant flower (Delonix regia), Bauhinia tomentosa, coast wattle (Acacia auriculiformis), quick stick (Glyricidia sepium) and ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) were analysed for their nutrient and anti-nutritional content. Then, leaf protein concentrates (LPCs) were produced from the leaves by fractionation and characterised along with the fibrous residues. On average, the LM contained 181 g kg,1 dry matter (DM) CP (range: 100,280 g kg,1 DM), 139 g kg,1 DM crude fibre (range: 77,230 g kg,1 DM) and 133 g kg,1 DM ether extract (range: 86,165 g kg,1 DM) while the gross energy averaged 17.0 MJ kg,1. On average, leaf protein fractionation enhanced the CP, ether extract and the gross energy in the LPC by 39.5%, 33.5% and 22.0%, respectively, while the crude fibre of the LMs was reduced by 41%, on average, in the LPCs. Fractionation reduced the mineral content of the leaves generally. The mean phytin content varied from 0.36 g kg,1 in LPCs to 0.86 g kg,1 in leaf meal, while the mean phytin-P content varied from 0.10 g kg,1 in LPCs to 0.24 g kg,1 in leaf meal. The total phenol levels in the LMs were reduced by 33.7% in the LPCs, on average. These results suggest that, while the LPCs from these plants could be used as protein supplements in non-ruminant feeds in regions where there is an acute shortage of plant protein, the LMs or LPC fibrous residues could be fed to ruminant animals. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


    Apparent Digestibility Coefficients of Various Feed Ingredients for Grouper Epinephelus coioides

    JOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 2 2004
    Heizhao Lin
    Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of dry matter, crude protein, lipid, gross energy, amino acids, and fatty acids in white fish meal, brown fish meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, and yeast were determined for grouper Epinephelus coioides. Apparent digestibility was determined using a reference diet with 0.5% chromic oxide indicator and test diets that contained 70% reference diet and 30% of the feed ingredient being evaluated. The fish, averaging 12.0 g, were held in 250-L tanks at a density of 30 fish per tank. Feces were collected from three replicate groups-of fish. Apparent dry matter digestibility of ingredients was 78.85 ± 2.43, 79.11 ± 0.61, 69.85 ± 3.60, 73.67 ± 2.30 and 57.70 ± 4.69% for white fish meal, brown fish meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, and yeast, respectively. Apparent gross energy digestibility of ingredients was 93.27 ± 2.90, 89.48 ± 1.78, 70.52 ± 4.01, 73.13 ± 2.41 and 51.67 ± 2.01% for white fish meal, brown fish meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, and yeast, respectively. Apparent protein digestibility of ingredients was 89.82 ± 1.24, 87.34 ± 1.25, 83.97 ± 1.92, 80.79 ± 1.95, and 61.14 ± 0.54% for white fish meal, brown fish meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, and yeast, respectively. White fish meal and brown fish meal showed higher protein digestibility among ingredients tested (P ± 0.01). Lipid digestibility of ingredients was high (90.66-94.48%) and not significantly different except for yeast. Amino acid availability values for test ingredients were similar to values of protein digestibility. Amino acid availability values of white fish meal and brown fish meal were higher than other ingredients. Fatty acid availability values for test ingredients were similar to values of lipid digestibility. In general, the digestibility of most fatty acids was over 80% in all ingredients, except for 14:0 in yeast and 18:0 in peanut meal, PUFA + HUFA > MUFA > SFA. Longer-chain saturated fatty acids were less digestibility, except for 14:0, with digestibilities diminishing as fatty acid chain length increased. Apparent digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, lipid, gross energy, amino acids, and fatty acids in yeast was the lowest among the ingredients. [source]


    Rhesus macaque milk: Magnitude, sources, and consequences of individual variation over lactation

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2009
    Katherine Hinde
    Abstract Lactation represents the greatest postnatal energetic expenditure for mammalian mothers, and a mother's ability to sustain the costs of lactation is influenced by her physical condition. Mothers in good condition may produce infants who weigh more, grow faster, and are more likely to survive than the infants of mothers in poor condition. These effects may be partially mediated through the quantity and quality of milk that mothers produce during lactation. However, we know relatively little about the relationships between maternal condition, milk composition, milk yield, and infant outcomes. Here, we present the first systematic investigation of the magnitude, sources, and consequences of individual variation in milk for an Old World monkey. Rhesus macaques produce dilute milk typical of the primate order, but there was substantial variation among mothers in the composition and amount of milk they produced and thus in the milk energy available to infants. Relative milk yield value (MYV), the grams of milk obtained by mammary evacuation after 3.5,4 h of maternal-infant separation, increased with maternal parity and was positively associated with infant weight. Both milk gross energy (GE) and MYV increased during lactation as infants aged. There was, however, a trade-off; those mothers with greater increases in GE had smaller increases in MYV, and their infants grew more slowly. These results from a well-fed captive population demonstrate that differences between mothers can have important implications for milk synthesis and infant outcome. Am J Phys Anthropol 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Milk composition of captive tufted capuchins (Cebus apella)

    AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
    Lauren A. Milligan
    Abstract Little is known about the milk composition of nonhuman primates, and it has never been examined in capuchin monkeys (genus Cebus). This article reports on the macronutrient milk composition (fat, crude protein (CP), lactose, dry matter (DM), and total gross energy (GE)) of captive housed tufted capuchins (Cebus apella) (n=8). C. apella milk averaged 5.22% fat, 2.40% CP, 6.94% lactose, 16.48% DM, and 0.89 kcal/g. Fat was the most variable macronutrient and was significantly higher in samples collected after 2 months of lactation. To explore the adaptive significance of C. apella milk composition, results were compared with data on milk composition from a closely related cebid, Saimiri boliviensis boliviensis, and another large-brained anthropoid, Homo sapiens. C. apella milk was only significantly different from Saimiri milk in CP and the proportion of energy from CP. Compared with human milk, C. apella milk was lower in lactose but higher in fat, CP, DM, GE, and the proportion of energy from CP. Results from this small dataset suggest that among anthropoid primates, the macronutrient composition of milk is influenced by phylogeny, may vary relative to infant growth rates, but may not be related in any direct way to relative brain size. Am. J. Primatol. 72:81,86, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


    Effect of cooking time on some nutrient and antinutrient components of bambaragroundnut seeds

    ANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 1 2009
    Stanley Omoh OMOIKHOJE
    ABSTRACT The proximate composition, gross energy, mineral composition, percentage sugar, oligosaccharides and antinutrient substances of bambaragroundnut seeds subjected to different cooking times were determined. The seeds were cooked for 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. Results of the proximate analysis showed that only the ether extract and ash were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced as the cooking time increased. In contrast, gross energy values significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increased cooking time. Amongst, the mineral elements assayed, calcium, magnesium and iron were significantly (P < 0.05) increased, while phosphorous, potassium, sodium and copper were reduced significantly (P > 0.05) with inreased cooking time. Percentage sucrose and glucose of bambaragroundnut seeds were significantly (P < 0.05) lowest in the raw form, but increased progressively with increased of cooking time. Raffinose and stachyose levels were reduced significantly by increased cookinf time (P < 0.05) with the least value in seeds cooked for 120 min. Trypsin inhibitor, hemagglutinin and tannin were completely eliminated in seeds cooked for 60 min or longer, but the phytin level was reduced significantly (P < 0.05) by cooking. For a significant detoxification of antinutrient substances and for optimal bioavailability of the component nutrients of bambaragroundnut seeds, an optimum cooking time of 60 min at 100°C is therefore recommended. [source]


    Effects of dietary protein level on growth, feed utilization and digestive enzyme activity of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 3 2010
    S. LIN
    Abstract A feeding trial was conducted using isoenergetic practical diets to evaluate the effects of the dietary protein level on growth performance, feed utilization and digestive enzyme activity of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis. Four experimental diets were formulated containing 250, 300, 350 and 400 g kg,1 protein and 16 kJ g,1 gross energy. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of juvenile crab with mean initial body weight 3.56 ± 0.16 g and mean shell width 15.31 ± 0.06 mm. Juvenile crab were reared in indoor flow-through system consisting of 12 plastic tanks (1.0 m × 0.6 m × 0.5 m) and fed diets twice daily at 6,8% of body weight for 12 weeks. Performance was judged on the basis of growth (specific growth rate of weight, SGRG; specific growth rate of shell width, SGRSW), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). A decreased FCR was observed with increasing dietary protein levels. Both SGRG and SGRSW significantly increased with increasing dietary protein levels up to 350 g kg,1, whereas there were no significant differences for protein levels from 350,400 g kg,1. Application of broken line regression analysis to SGRG provided an estimate of 347.8 g kg,1 dietary protein for maximal growth. The highest PER was observed in crab fed the diet containing 350 g kg,1 protein (P < 0.05). The percent survival was not affected (P > 0.05) by the different dietary treatments. No significant differences were observed in the apparent digestibility coefficients of crude lipid and dry matter among dietary treatments (P > 0.05). However, the apparent digestibility coefficients of crude protein and energy in crab fed different protein levels significantly increased with increasing dietary protein level (P < 0.05). Both amylase and protease activities in the intestine of E. sinensis were studied. The amylase activity decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with increased dietary protein level and protease activity increased. Regression analysis showed a negative effect of inclusion of dietary protein level on amylase activity (P < 0.05). However, protease activities were found to be positively correlated (P < 0.05) with dietary protein level. The protein content of the crab significantly increased with dietary protein levels up to 350 g kg,1 (P < 0.05), but no significant differences (P > 0.05) were founded with protein levels higher than 350 g kg,1. [source]


    Effects on digestibility and growth of juvenile cobia (Rachycentron canadum) fed fish or crab silage protein

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 3 2010
    D.T.N. MACH
    Abstract The study was conducted in Cam Ranh, Vietnam, in 1000-L tanks supplied with recirculated and biofiltered saltwater (33, and 28.4 °C) to evaluate the potential use of lizard fish (Saurida undosquamis) or blue crab (Portunus pelagicus) acid silage protein for juvenile cobia (23,25 g). Six isoenergetic test moist diets (4915,5125 kcal kg,1), using either raw fish diet, fish silage diet (FSD), raw crab diet, crab silage diet (CSD), mixed raw fish/raw crab diet or mixed fish/crab silage diet (MSD), as part of the protein sources in the steam-cooked diets, were fed to satiety to triplicate groups of 20 fish each for a 6-week growth trial. Y2O3 was added as an inert indicator to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) for macro nutrients and gross energy. Weight gain (185,286%) and specific daily growth rate (2.5,3.2% per day) were significantly higher in cobia fed the raw-based diets and FSD than in fish fed CSD and MSD (34,90 and 0.7,1.5% per day). Feed conversion ratios (FCR) were significantly higher in the groups fed CSD and MSD diets (2.1,6.5) than the groups fed the other diets (1.0,1.2), resulting in significantly lower protein productive values (0.1,0.2) in the groups fed CSD and MSD than in the other groups (0.3,0.4). The FCR results were confirmed by significantly lower ADC values in fish fed CSD and MSD than those in fish fed the other diets. We thus conclude that the present raw-based diets were better utilized by juvenile cobia than silage-based diets, particularly the diet made from crab silage. [source]


    Investigations on the digestibility and metabolizability of the major nutrients and energy of maize leaves and barnyard grass in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 3 2010
    E.B. DONGMEZA
    Abstract In the uplands of northern Vietnam, culture of grass carp contributes significantly to income and household food security of Black Thai farmers. Maize is one of the most important upland crops and barnyard grass is the most important weed in the paddy rice fields. Thus, these are frequently used by small-scale fish farmers as fish feed. An 8-week feeding trial was conducted simultaneously in a recirculation and in a respirometric system to determine the digestibility and metabolizability of the nutrients of maize leaves and barnyard grass, to assess their crude protein, lipid and energy conversion and to estimate the energy allocation in grass carp. The following diets were used: diet ,A' (reference diet) containing 39% crude protein with 19.8 MJ kg,1 gross energy; diets ,B', ,C' and ,D', which contained the same amount of the reference diet as the control diet, supplemented with a known amount of dried barnyard grass, dried maize leaves or fresh maize leaves, respectively. Five fish were assigned to each treatment in each experimental unit. Reference and test diets were fed to fish and faecal samples were collected and the oxygen consumption was measured in order to set up an energy budget of the fish over the whole experimental period. The weekly development of the body weight was recorded. The body weight gain of the fish fed diet D was significantly higher than that of the group fed diet A, which also in turn was significantly higher than that of fish fed diet B or C. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of nutrients and gross energy for the different experimental diets in fish kept in the aquaria were, for diets A, B, C and D respectively, 94.1%, 60.9%, 70.5% and 84.7% for protein, 91.3%, 60.7%, 76.8% and 71.8% for lipid; 95.9%, 44.5%, 60.6% and 69.1% for gross energy. The partial ADC of plant leaf ingredients were determined and barnyard grass and dried maize leaves were found to be not only poorly digestible but having negative impact on the digestibility of the reference diet, while fresh maize leaves were well digested. The results of the present study indicated that fresh maize leaves have a good potential to be used as supplement in diets for grass carp. [source]


    Effect of dietary carbohydrate-to-lipid ratios on growth performance, body composition, nutrient utilization and hepatic enzymes activities of herbivorous grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 3 2010
    W. GAO
    Abstract Six isonitrogenous (390 g kg,1) and isoenergetic (16.2 kJ g,1) diets with varying carbohydrate : lipid (CHO : L) ratios (202.5,1.74), were fed to triplicate groups of 25 fish in indoor recirculation system. Over 8-week-growth trial, best weight gain (WG), specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and protein production value (P < 0.05) were observed in fish-fed diets with CHO : L ratio of 7.5. Fish fed either the lowest (1.7) or highest (202.5) CHO : L ratio tended to produce lower (P < 0.05) growth and feed conversion efficiencies. The values of viscerosomatic index, hepatosomatic index and intraperitoneal fat ratio increased as dietary CHO : L ratios decreased. There were no significant differences in whole body and liver crude protein among dietary treatments. Whole body and liver lipid increased as CHO : L ratios decreased. Plasma cholesterol and triacylglyceride levels increased linearly as dietary CHO : L ratios decreased. Activities of glucokinase and pyruvate kinase were stimulated by elevated levels of dietary carbohydrate; however, activities of lipase (LPS) and alkaline phosphatase were stimulated by elevated levels of dietary lipid. Based on a second-order polynomial regression analysis of WG against dietary carbohydrate and lipid levels, 275 g kg,1 of carbohydrate and 59 g kg,1 of lipid, corresponding to a CHO : L ratio of 4.7, in a diet holding 390 g kg,1 of crude protein and 16.3 kJ g,1 of gross energy, proved to be optimal for grass carp. These results indicated that utilization of dietary lipid and carbohydrate was moderate in grass carp, but the fish were a little more capable of utilizing lipid compared with carbohydrate. [source]


    Apparent digestibility coefficients of selected feed ingredients for dourado Salminus brasiliensis

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 5 2009
    R. BORGHESI
    Abstract The excellence of its flesh and fast growth makes the dourado, Salminus brasiliensis, a carnivorous fish native to the Prata basin, a potential candidate for intensive fish farming. This study evaluated the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of energy and nutrients of animal and plant protein sources for the carnivorous Characin dourado S. brasiliensis. Fish (19.5 ± 5.0 g) were stocked in plastic cages (80-L) and fed pelleted test diets containing 30% of the test ingredient [fish meal (FM), poultry by-product meal (PBM), soybean meal (SBM), and corn gluten meal (CGM) plus 70% of a reference diet (481.4 g kg,1 of crude protein and 18.63 kJ of gross energy per gram]. After the last daily meal, cages were transferred to cylindrical, conical-bottomed aquarium (200-L) where faeces were collected by sedimentation in a refrigerated container. Except for ADC of protein and energy, all other ADC of nutrients showed significant differences (P < 0.01). ADC values were: 94.3%, 91.3%, 93.1%, and 93.5% for crude protein; 91.0%, 90.3%, 87.8%, and 88.8% for gross energy; 92.1%, 84.5%, 80.6%, and 79.3% for ash; 83.9%, 80.3%, 84.3%, and 84.6% for dry matter; 97.4%, 96.7%, 93.3%, and 91.5% for lipid for FM, PBM, SBM, and CGM, respectively. The average amino acid ADC was: 93.6%, 90.0%, 92.1%, and 92.5% of FM, PBM, SBM, and CGM, respectively. All test ingredients were efficiently used and can partially replace FM in diets for carnivorous dourado. [source]


    Re-evaluation of total sulphur amino acid requirement and determination of replacement value of cystine for methionine in semi-purified diets of juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 3 2009
    T.N. NGUYEN
    Abstract Two feeding experiments were conducted to re-evaluate the total sulphur amino acid (TSAA; methionine and cystine) requirement and determine the replacement value of cystine for methionine of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Semi-purified diets used in both experiments contained 3510 kcal gross energy and 280 g of protein per kilogram diet from casein, gelatin and crystalline amino acids. The basal diet of the first experiment contained 3.1 g methionine and 0.4 g cystine per kilogram. l -methionine was added to the seven remaining diets at 1.0 g kg,1 increment to produce methionine levels ranging from 3.1 to 10.1 g kg,1 diet. Each diet was fed to four replicate groups of juvenile Nile tilapia (1.28 g mean weight) in a recirculation system for 8 weeks. Broken-line regression analysis of weight gain data indicated that the TSAA requirement of juvenile Nile tilapia was 8.5 g kg,1 of the diet or 30.4 g kg,1 of dietary protein. In the second experiment, TSAA level was set at 95% of the requirement value determined in the first experiment. Seven diets were made with different ratios of l -methionine and l -cystine (20 : 80, 30 : 70, 40 : 60, 50 : 50, 60 : 40, 70 : 30 and 80 : 20, based on an equimolar sulphur basis). Each diet was also fed to four replicate groups of juvenile Nile tilapia (4.14 g mean weight) in a recirculation system for 8 weeks. Regression analysis of weight gain data using broken-line model indicated that cystine (on a molar sulphur basis) could replace up to 49% of methionine requirement in semi-purified diets for juvenile Nile tilapia. [source]


    Comparative performance of juvenile red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, reared in laboratory with fresh kelp and balanced diets

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2009
    Z. GARCIA-ESQUIVEL
    Abstract Juvenile Haliotis rufescens were reared in the laboratory in order to investigate the extent to which fresh kelp and formulated feeds with 250 g kg,1 (25P) and 380 g kg,1 protein content (38P) affected their growth rate, gut residence time (GRT), food consumption (C), food conversion ratio (FCR) and digestibility. Abalone from 38P attained the highest growth rate (70.5 ± 4.2 ,m day,1; 98.3 ± 6.95 ,g day,1), followed by 25P (47.9 ± 2.79 ,m day,1; 67.4 ± 2.82 ,g day,1) and kelp (23.6 ± 3.36 ,m day,1; 28.2 ± 4.11 ,g day,1). No significant differences were observed in consumption rate among treatments (0.61,0.68% body weight per day), yet kelp-fed abalone exhibited higher FCR (2.44), protein efficiency ratio (4.42), and apparent digestibility of dry matter (69.5%), protein (69.8%) and gross energy (79.2%) than 38P organisms (59.8, 62.4 and 62.2%, respectively). They also showed longer GRT (23.1 ± 0.93 h). This study demonstrated that formulated diets with 250 g kg,1 and 380 g kg,1 protein inclusion can sustain higher growth rates of juvenile H. rufescens than fresh algae. These differences seem to be due to the amount of dietary protein. Kelp meal appears to improve the consumption and digestibility of balanced diets, and its inclusion in formulated diets is recommended. [source]


    Effects of canola meal on physiological and biochemical parameters in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2008
    A. SHAFAEIPOUR
    Abstract Rainbow trout (initial body weight 4.16 ± 0.25 g) were fed diets [crude protein 420 g kg,1; gross energy 18.7 MJ kg,1 dry matter (DM); crude fat 110 g kg,1] containing graded levels of either a canola meal (crude protein 350 g kg,1 DM) supplemented with DL-methionine as partial fish meal protein. A growth trial was conducted over 16 weeks at a water temperature of 12 ± 1 °C. At the end of the growth trial, in addition to body composition analyses, plasma tri-iodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), cholesterol and liver fatty acid composition were measured. Replacement of fish meal with canola meal (100,570 g kg,1 replacement) did not affect on growth performance. At 16th week, plasma cholesterol levels were reduced in fish fed all diets in comparison with 8th week. Plasma T4 levels were significantly higher in the canola meal-fed fish sampled after 16 weeks, but no significant differences in T3 levels were obtained (P > 0.05). Proximate compositions were affected by dietary treatments. The liver fatty acid composition reflected that of the diet with a higher level of polyunsaturated (n-6) fatty acids in fish fed diet canola meal and a higher content in n-3/n-6 ratio in fish fed diet without canola meal. These studies show that canola meal has potential to replace substantial levels of fish meal in diets for carnivorous fish without compromising performance. [source]


    Substituting fish meal with poultry by-product meal in diets for black Sea turbot Psetta maeotica

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 5 2006
    M. YIGIT
    Abstract A 60 days feeding experiment was carried out with Black Sea turbot Psetta maeotica to determine the amount of poultry by-product meal (PBM) that could replace fish meal (FM) in formulated diets without reducing growth performance. Juvenile Black Sea turbot (initial average weight, 30 g) were fed five isoenergetic (gross energy, 20.5 ± 0.21 kJ g,1 diet) and isonitrogenous diets (protein content, 550 ±,0.35 g kg,1). The control diet used white FM as the sole protein source, the other four diets were prepared to replace FM protein at levels of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% with PBM. The fish readily accepted all experimental diets and no mortality were recorded during the trial. There were no significant differences in growth performance of turbot (P < 0.05) fed the diets with 25% and 50% replacement levels compared with fish offered the control diet (100% FM), however, final body weight and specific growth rate values in the 50% replacement diet were about 8% lower than those of the control. Total nitrogen excretion in fish fed 50% replacement diet were about 10% higher than the control group, even though these parameters were not found to be statistically different. At the levels of 750 and 1000 g kg,1 of the protein, PBM inclusion caused a severe decrease in growth performance, feed utilization, protein efficiency ratio and per cent nitrogen retention. The results in the present study indicate that up to 25% of FM protein can be replaced by PBM protein without causing reduction in growth performance, nutrient utilization and nitrogen retention. [source]


    Effects of extrusion processing of feed ingredients on apparent digestibility coefficients of nutrients for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    AQUACULTURE NUTRITION, Issue 2 2003
    Zongjia J. Cheng
    Abstract An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of extrusion processing on apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, energy and minerals in soya bean meal (SBM), barley, corn gluten meal and whole wheat, using rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss as the test species. In addition, availabilities of amino acids were also determined in SBM. Feed ingredients were preconditioned at 89,93 °C and then extruded using a Wenger X-85 extruder. Nonextruded ingredients were used as is, meaning that they were not preconditioned. The extruded and nonextruded ingredients were mixed with a casein,gelatin reference diet at 3 : 7 ratio prior to determination of ADC values. A total of 135 trout (initial mean body weight 223.4 ± 12.7 g) were stocked into nine 140-L fibreglass digestibility tanks with 15 fish per tank. Individual tanks were assigned randomly to each of eight diets made from the four ingredients (extruded and nonextruded) plus the reference diet. After faeces were collected in the first week, the diets were switched among tanks, and faeces were collected again after 5-day acclimation period in the second week. Yttrium oxide was used as the inert marker. Results showed that extrusion processing significantly improved ADCs of dry matter, crude fat and gross energy, and reduced ADCs of crude protein, phosphorus, copper, iron and zinc. Results also showed that the effects of extrusion processing on chemical composition and ADCs of nutrients depended on the ingredients. It is recommended that trace minerals such as copper, iron and zinc be supplemented by an additional 10,20% when rainbow trout diets are extruded because of their reduced bioavailability in plant meal-based feed ingredients. [source]


    Optimum arginine requirement of juvenile black sea bream, Sparus macrocephalus

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 10 2010
    Fan Zhou
    Abstract An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to determine the dietary arginine requirement of juvenile black sea bream Sparus macrocephalus in 18 350 L indoors flow-through circular fibreglass tanks. Six isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to contain graded levels of l -arginine (1.85%, 2.23%, 2.51%, 2.86%, 3.20% and 3.46% dry diet) from dietary ingredients and crystalline arginine. Each diet was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of 25 juvenile fish (10.51±0.15 g) twice daily (08:00 and 16:00 hours) to apparent satiation. Results showed that the specific growth rate (SGR) increased with increasing dietary arginine levels up to 2.51% and remained nearly the same thereafter. Feed efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio (PER) and protein productive value all showed an increasing tendency and then levelled off. Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein and gross energy significantly improved up to 2.86% arginine diet and decreased at different extents thereafter. Fish fed 1.85% arginine diet had significantly lower protein content in the whole body and dorsal muscle than those fed diets supplemented with or >2.86% of arginine. Lipid content decreased and lower value occurred at 3.46% of dietary arginine. The dietary essential amino acid composition in the whole body of the black sea bream was significantly influenced by dietary arginine. Arginine retention increased with an increasing dietary arginine level from 1.85% to 3.20%, then declined slightly at 3.46% arginine diet. Serum biochemical parameters were significantly affected by the dietary arginine level except for the cholesterol content. Broken-line regression based on SGR and second-order polynomial regression based on PER indicated that the optimum dietary arginine requirements for juvenile black sea bream were 2.79% and 3.09% diet, corresponding to 7.74% and 8.13% of the dietary protein respectively. [source]


    Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients in diets for juvenile hybrid tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus×Oreochromis aureus

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2010
    Xiao-Hui Dong
    Abstract The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid, ash, phosphorus, gross energy and amino acids of 10 selected ingredients for juvenile hybrid tilapia (7.05 ± 0.09 g) were determined using 0.5% Cr2O3 as an inert indicator. The feed ingredients tested in this study were corn gluten meal (CGM), corn byproduct, corn germ meal (CG), soybean meal (SBM), fermented soybean meal (FSM), soy protein concentrate (SPC), soy protein isolate, malt sprouts (MS), fish meal (FM) and earthworm meal (EM). The test diets were prepared by incorporation of 30% test ingredients into the reference diet. Reference and test diets were fed to the fish and the faecal samples were collected using a faecal collection column attached to the fish-rearing tanks. The ADCs for dry matter, crude protein, crude lipid, ash, phosphorus and gross energy were 41.7,98.9%, 90.6,99.6%, 73.1,98.8%, 34.1,98.6%, 49.5,99.6% and 45.4,99.7% respectively. Soy protein isolate, FM and EM had higher dry matter, crude protein and gross energy ADCs. Corn byproduct and EM had higher crude lipid ADCs, and CG and EM had higher phosphorus ADCs. Corn germ meal had the highest ash ADC, while CGM had the highest value for gross energy. The lowest dry matter, crude protein, lipid and gross energy ADCs occurred in MS, while the lowest ash and phosphorus ADCs occurred in SPC. The amino acid ADCs ranged from 83.3% to 100%, exhibiting a positive correlation with crude protein digestibility for a given test ingredient. The feed ingredient digestibility of this study may provide useful information about nutrient and energy utilization to facilitate formulation of least-cost practical diets for hybrid tilapia. [source]


    Influence of different sources and levels of dietary protein and lipid on the growth, feed efficiency, muscle composition and fatty acid profile of Snakehead Channa striatus (Bloch, 1793) fingerling

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2010
    Mohammed Aliyu-Paiko
    Abstract Nine isoenergetic (18.5 kJ g,1) diets were formulated, in a 3 × 3 factorial design, by varying three levels of dietary protein (350, 400 and 450 g kg,1) at each of three levels of dietary lipid (65, 90 and 115 g kg,1) accordingly. Each diet was hand fed two times daily for 8 weeks to triplicate homogenous groups of eight fish (average weight 3.34 ± 0.02 g) per tank connected to a recirculation system. Results showed that the feed efficiency and growth performance significantly (P<0.05) increased with increasing protein level at the two lower lipid levels (65 and 90 g kg,1), respectively, as indicated by indices such as %weight gain, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, feed conversion ratio and feed intake, but did not at the highest lipid level (115 g kg,1). The muscle polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) content declined with increasing dietary protein level at the lipid levels producing the highest growth, suggesting that the utilization of PUFA influences growth. Whereas the muscle monounsaturated fatty acids level was generally lower than the dietary levels in all the treatments tested, indicating preferential catabolism for energy, the muscle saturated fatty acids level was comparatively higher than in the diets, indicating selective deposition. Docosa hexaenoic acid (22:6n3, DHA), which was very low in the diet and in the initial fish, was higher in the muscle of some of the treatments, indicating the ability of Channa striatus to desaturate and elongate short-chain PUFA to long-chain HUFA, due to the availability of dietary 18:3n3 and 20:5n3 (the precursors for DHA biosynthesis). It could be concluded, based on the results of this trial, that a diet formulated to contain 65 g kg,1 lipid and 450 g kg,1 protein, with a gross energy of 18.5 kJ g,1 and a dietary n3/n6 PUFA ratio of about 0.1, is sufficient to promote good feed efficiency and growth performance in C. striatus fingerling. [source]


    Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients for white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, Boone

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009
    Qihui Yang
    Abstract Apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), crude protein, crude lipid, gross energy, phosphorus and amino acids in Peruvian fish meal (FM), fermented soybean meal, extruded soybean meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, wheat gluten meal, corn gluten meal, shrimp byproduct meal, meat and bone meal (MBM), poultry meat meal and plasma protein meal (PPM) were determined for white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). A reference diet (RF) and test diets (consisting of 70% RF diet and 30% of the feedstuff) were used with 0.5% chromic oxide as an external indicator. A total of 1440 shrimp (initial mean body weight 1.05 ± 0.01 g) were randomly stocked into thirty-six 500-L fibreglass tanks with 40 shrimp per tank and three tanks per diet. Faeces were collected from triplicate groups of shrimp by a faecal collection vessel attached to the shrimp-rearing tank. The shrimp were fed to apparent satiation four times a day and the feeding experiment lasted for 6 weeks. Statistics indicate that apparent DM digestibilities for white shrimp (L. vannamei) were the highest for FM, ranged 52.83,71.23% for other animal products and 69.98,77.10% for plant products. The protein and lipid from plant and animal sources were well digested by white shrimp. Apparent protein and lipid digestibility were in the range 87.89,93.18% and 91.57,95.28%, respectively, in plant products, and 75.00,92.34% and 83.72,92.79%, respectively, for animal products. The white shrimp demonstrated a high capacity to utilize phosphorus in the ingredients. The apparent phosphorus digestibility ranges of animal feedstuffs and plant feedstuffs were 58.90,71.61% and 75.77,82.30% respectively. Amino acid availability reflected protein digestibility, except that in MBM, for which the availability of some amino acid was lower, possibly due to protein damage during processing. Digestibility information could promote the use of ingredient substitution in least-cost formulated diets for white shrimp. [source]


    Optimum histidine requirement of fry African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell)

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2009
    Mukhtar A Khan
    Abstract Dietary histidine requirement of fry African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (2.57 ± 0.02 cm; 0.22 ± 0.03 g) was quantified by feeding casein,gelatin-based isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) and isocaloric (17.90 kJ g,1 gross energy) amino acid test diets with graded levels of histidine (0.25%, 0.30%, 0.35%, 0.40%, 0.45% and 0.50% dry diet) in eighteen 80 L indoor circular aqua-coloured troughs provided with the flow-through system for 12 weeks. Maximum absolute weight gain (2.66), best feed conversion ratio (1.29), highest protein efficiency ratio (1.94), protein retention efficiency (34%) and energy retention efficiency (70.4%) were achieved at 0.40% dietary histidine. Broken-line and non-linear regression models were adopted to assess dietary histidine requirement for C. gariepinus. When analysed using broken-line regression model these parameters were also best at 0.40% dietary histidine corresponding to 1.0% protein, respectively, whereas using second-degree polynomial regression analysis, histidine requirement was obtained at 0.42%, 0.41%, 0.40%, 0.41% and 0.41% of dry diet, corresponding to 1.05%, 1.02%, 1.0%, 1.02% and 1.02% protein respectively. Based on the broken-line and second-degree polynomial regression analyses of the growth and nutrient retention data, optimum histidine requirement of fry C. gariepinus was found to be in the range of 0.40,0.42% dry diet, corresponding to 1.0,1.05% of dietary protein. [source]


    Apparent digestibility of selected feed ingredients in diets formulated for the sub-adult mud crab, Scylla paramamosain, in Vietnam

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 3 2009
    Phuong Ha Truong
    Abstract The present study was conducted to explore the potential to incorporate local plant-based feed ingredients into diets formulated for the mud crab species, Scylla paramamosain, commonly exploited for aquaculture in South-east Asia. Four test ingredients (defatted soybean meal, rice bran, cassava meal and corn flour) were incorporated at 30% or 45% inclusion levels in a fishmeal-based reference diet and used in digestibility trials where apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) for experimental diets and test ingredients were determined. Generally, high ADC values were obtained using diets containing 30% soybean meal or rice bran. By contrast, the lowest ADC values were obtained for the diet containing 45% cassava meal [70.9% for dry matter (ADMD); 77.1% for crude protein (ACPD) and 80.2% for gross energy (AGED)]. Similar trends were observed when ADC ingredient (I) digestibilities were compared. Specifically, the highest ADCI values were obtained for soybean meal when used at a 30% inclusion level (87.6% ADMDI; 98.4% ACPDI and 95.6% AGEDI) while the lowest ADCI values were obtained using cassava meal at a 45% inclusion level (53.8% ADMDI; 60.2% ACPDI and 67.3% AGEDI). Based on the current findings, we propose that soybean meal and rice bran could be considered for incorporation into formulated diets for S. paramamosain. [source]


    Evaluation of pea protein isolate as alternative protein source in diets for juvenile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007
    Carsten Schulz
    Abstract To evaluate isolated pea protein as feed ingredient for tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) juveniles, triplicate groups were fed with four isonitrogenous [crude protein: 421.1,427.5 g kg,1 in dry matter (d.m.)] and isoenergetic (gross energy: 20.46,21.06 MJ kg,1 d.m.) diets with varying protein sources for 8 weeks. Fish meal-based protein content of diets was substituted with 0% (diet 100/0=control group), 30% (diet 70/30), 45% (diet 55/45) and 60% (diet 40/60) isolated pea protein. Tilapia juveniles with an initial body weight of 2.23,2.27 g were fed in average at a level of 5% of their body weight per day. Highest individual weight gain (WG: 21.39 g) and specific growth rate (SGR: 4.21% day,1) and best feed conversion ratio (FCR: 0.90) were observed in tilapia fed diet 100/0, followed by fish-fed diet 70/30 (WG: 19.09 g; SGR: 4.03% day,1; FCR: 0.98), diet 55/45 (WG: 16.69 g; SGR: 3.80% day,1; FCR: 1.06) and diet 40/60 (WG: 16.18 g; SGR: 3.74% day,1; FCR: 1.06). Although fish fed diet 100/0 showed the best performance, inclusion of 30% protein derived from pea protein isolate resulted in a growth performance (in terms of WG and SGR) that did not differ significantly from diet 100/0 in contrast to fish fed diet 55/45 and 40/60. Crude ash content in the final body composition of the experimental fish decreased with increasing dietary pea protein content, while crude protein and lipid content remained equal between the groups. Significant decreasing growth performance and body ash incorporation of tilapia at higher inclusion levels seem to be mainly related to the dietary amino acid profile and phytic acid contents. [source]


    Potential of local agricultural by-products for the rearing of African catfish Clarias gariepinus in Rwanda: effects on growth, feed utilization and body composition

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 2 2007
    Laetitia Nyina-wamwiza
    Abstract This study was performed to evaluate the effect of replacing fish meal with local by-products on Clarias gariepinus growth performance, feed utilization and body composition. A control diet contained 50% of fish meal. In four other diets, fish meal was partially replaced by vegetable and animal protein blend composed of sunflower oil cake, soybean oil cake, groundnut oil cake, bean meal, chicken viscera and blood meal. The study was conducted in a recirculating water system at a mean temperature of 23.6°C. The five test diets were compared with a commercial diet developed for African catfish. All diets were balanced to be equal in gross energy (19 kJ g,1) and crude protein (40%). The experimental groups were fed in triplicate for 8 weeks, increasing fish weight from about 6.2 g at start to 52.3 g in the end. Best specific growth rate (SGR=3.4), feed efficiency (FE=1.3) and protein efficiency ratio (PER=3) were obtained with the control diet (diet 50% fish meal), although there were no significant differences between the group of fish fed the control diet and those fed diets based on groundnut oil cake or bean meal, whereas SGR (2.17), FE (0.85) and PER (1.95) were significantly (P<0.01) lower in fish fed diet containing sunflower oil cake. No significant differences (P<0.05) were found in fish fed commercial diet and diets containing bean meal or groundnut oil cake. Groundnut oil cake or bean meal can thus replace at least 50% of fish meal in the diet of Clarias fingerlings without amino acid supplementation. Because of its economic importance and its potential in animal nutrition sunflower oil cake is still an interesting feed ingredient, but its efficiency should be improved by various processing techniques. African catfish can utilize efficiently a diet with low percentage of animal protein without growth reduction. [source]


    Nutritional evaluation of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) seeds as dietary protein source for tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

    AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2002
    M A Hossain
    An 8-week feeding trial was conducted in a warmwater recirculation system at 27 ± 0.2 °C to evaluate the nutritive value of dhaincha (Sesbania aculeata) seed meal as a possible fish meal substitute in the diet of tilapia. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated to contain 32% crude protein and 18.4 kJ g,1 gross energy. Sesbania seed meal was included in diets at various levels [0%, 9.7%, 19.4%, 29.1% and 38.8% for diets 1 (control), 2, 3, 4 and 5, respectively, which correspond to 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of dietary crude protein]. Each treatment had two replicates, eight fish per replicate, with mean initial weight of 7.06 ± 0.03 g. Fish were fed 20 g kg,1 metabolic body weight daily. On the basis of the observed growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, apparent net protein utilization and energy retention, diets 1 (control) and 2 (containing 9.7% Sesbania meal) were similar and significantly (P < 0.05) better than the other dietary groups. Fish fed diets 3, 4 and 5 containing higher levels of Sesbania meal showed significantly reduced growth performance compared with those fed diets 1 and 2. Fish fed diets 3, 4 and 5 had significantly lower faecal dry matter (DM) content, apparent crude protein, lipid and energy digestibility and reduced levels of cholesterol compared with the control and diet 2. Fish fed diets containing higher levels (>9.7%) of Sesbania meal had significantly higher whole-body moisture, lower lipid and gross energy content. The lower growth performance of fish fed diets containing higher levels of Sesbania meal is thought to result from the presence of tannins, saponin and the non-starch polysaccharide content of the seed. The results of this study showed that inclusion of up to 9.7% untreated Sesbania seed meal (10% of the dietary protein) in the diet did not affect the growth performance and nutrient utilization in tilapia. [source]