Abstract

BOTELLO-LEON, Aroldo et al. Fish meal substitution by protein sugar cane in diets for weight gain in red tilapia. Agrociencia [online]. 2011, vol.45, n.1, pp.23-31. ISSN 2521-9766.

It is important to search for sustainable alternatives with byproducts for replacing fish meal in diets for weight gain in red tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) cultured in floating cages at 27.8 °C. In the present study, four isoprotein diets (26 %) (treatments: T; 0 %, T0; 14 % T14; 16 % T16, and 18 % T18) and isoenergetic diets (2.7 kcal g^-1 feed) were formulated, using a by-product mixture of sugar cane, enriched with acid fish-silage (sugar cane protein meal) as substitution of fish meal. Four hundred and twenty tilapia males (58.34±0.01 g) were used in this study, fed for 60 d. The experimental design was completely randomized with seven rectangular cages per treatment (0.256 m³; 0.8X0.8X0.4 m) left hanging above a circular concrete pond (8 m diameter and 2 m high) with 15 fish per cage. Data analysis, conducted by a one way analysis of variance, indicated that for T0 and T14 there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in final weight, growth rate, protein efficiency rate, factor of conversion and feed efficiency. The fish in treatments T16 and T18, however, showed less performance. We conclude that up to 14 % of sugar cane protein meal may be included in diets for weight gain in red tilapia without affecting productive indicators.

Keywords : Oreochromis spp.; sugar cane protein meal; floating cages; nutrition.

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