Digestibility and performance of nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets with different levels of acid silage

The experiments were carried out in order to evaluate the apparent digestibility coefficients of the nutrients and gross energy of acid silage of filetage residues from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). This silage was given to Nile tilapia juvenile and their performance was taken. The treatments were based on the increasing levels (0, 10, 20, 30, 40%) of the acid silage by substitution of fish meal in the diets. In the digestibility assay a total of 200 sexually inverted juveniles were used. The average weight was 2.0 g and were kept in 40 liter aquariums. Feces collection was made during 7 subsequent days and the apparent digestibility coefficients and apparent metabolizable energy were determined by indirect method, 1% of Cr2O3 was used as an indicator. In the performance assay a total of 2000 sexually inverted juveniles were used. The average weight of 0.45g, they also were kept in 1m(2) "hapas" in a fish crawl. The analyzed variables were: final weight (FWG), total feed intake (TFE), apparent feed conversion (AFC), height increase (HI) and length increase (LI). The randomized design was used with 5 treatments and 4 repetitions. The values for apparent digestibility coefficients were: dry matter, 95.49; gross protein, 96.66; ethereal extract, 97.18; gross energy, 95.44; and apparent digestible energy (kcal/kg) was 2880.02. No significant difference (P>0.05) were found for final weight gain, total feed intake, feed conversion and height increase. A linear increase (P<0.01) was observed in length. It was concluded that the acid silage of filetage residues from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) should be efficiently used by tilapia Nile juvenile.