Kwasi Adu Obirikorang

Growth, feed utilization, and liver histology of juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets containing increasing levels of swine fat

ABSTRACT Due to predictions that the expanding aquaculture sector cannot continue to rely on finite marine stocks for fish oil, there have been several research works within the aquafeed industry to find sustainable alternatives for dietary lipid sources. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a range of inclusion levels of rendered swine fat on the growth performance and liver histology of juvenile Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Fish (initial weight ~ 20 g) were randomly stocked into twelve 1 m3 nylon mesh hapas and fed isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets containing rendered swine fat at varying inclusion levels of 0% (Control), 5% (SF5), 7% (SF7), or 10% (SF10) for 84 days. The control diet contained 5% fish oil as the lipid source. At the end of the trial, there were no significant differences between the final weights of the fish that were fed the control (38.01 ± 0.76) and SF5 diets (37.85 ± 0.68), and both groups recorded significantly higher (P < 0.05) specific growth rates relative to the SF7 and SF10 groups. Specific growth rates ranged from 0.59% day−1 (SF10) to 0.75% day−1 (Control and SF5). The fish that were fed the SF7 and SF10 diets had significantly (P < 0.05) larger livers relative to the control and SF5 fish. Histological examination further revealed significant liver alterations in the SF7 and SF10 fish, as evidenced by hepatocyte nuclei migration, hepatic vacuolation, and varying degrees of steatosis. Calculations of profit indices showed that the SF5 diet offers the best economic viability, taking into consideration both the monetary values of fish produced and cost of feed fed over the trial period. The results of this study indicate that rendered swine as a sole lipid source in juvenile Nile tilapia diets can be included at 5% without depressing fish growth.

Effect of some common West African farm-made feeds on the oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract The effects of two common West African farm-made feeds on postprandial metabolism were assessed in adult Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by quantifying the oxygen consumption rates (MO2) and total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN) excretion over a 24-h period. Measurements followed the ingestion of a single meal of a fishmeal-based control diet and two diets containing 30% copra (CM) or palm kernel meal (PKM) inclusions by groups of 15 adult O. niloticus per tank. The mean net MO2 (postprandial oxygen consumption corrected for routine metabolic rate) during digestion for the different tilapia groups varied narrowly between 112.2 ± 9.9 and 129.9 ± 20.4 mg O2 kg−1 h−1 with the fish fed the CM diet recording a significantly lower (p = 0.04) net MO2 response relative to the other two diets. Net TAN excretion rates of the different dietary groups varied between 3.4 ± 1.4 and 4.4 ± 1.6 mg TAN kg−1 h−1. Under the standardized experimental conditions, copra and PKMs appeared to be promising candidates as partial replacements to fishmeal in tilapia diets as far as rates of oxygen consumption and ammonia-nitrogen excretion are concerned.

Evaluation of Locally-available AgroindustrialByproducts as Partial Replacementsto Fishmeal in Diets for Nile Tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus) Production in Ghana

Objective: This study assessed the potential of three widely-available local oilseed byproducts, soybean (SBM), copra (CM) and palm kernel meals (PKM) as partial replacements of fishmeal in Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) diets in terms of their digestibility and effects on growth and nutrient utilization. Methods: Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) were determined using chromic oxide as an inert marker in test diets formulated to contain 30% of each of the test ingredients by weight and 70% of a fishmeal-based reference diet. The 8-week growth trial evaluated the effects of partial replacements of fishmeal by the oilseed byproducts at different dietary inclusions. The soybean meal diets were formulated with the soybean meal contributing 25% (SBM25) and 50% (SBM50) of total dietary protein. Copra and palm kernel meals each contributed 10 (CM10 and PKM10) and 20% (CM20 and PKM20) of total dietary protein in their respective diets. The test diets were compared to a control diet with fishmeal as the sole protein source. Results: Nutrient digestibilities of the test ingredients were generally significantly higher for the soybean meal than the copra and palm kernel meals. The ADCs of the soybean, copra and palm kernel meals were; protein, 90.57%, 69.36% and 61.12; lipid, 96.14%, 95.64% and 95.85%; fibre, 96.74%, 77.61% and 55.07% and energy, 91.99%, 73.61% and 75.14% respectively. All the dietary treatment groups recorded significant growth at the end of the trials with the fish in the control and SBM25 groups more than tripling their respective mean initial weights. All the other treatment groups more than doubled their mean initial body weights. Daily growth rates ranged from 1.40% day-1 for the PKM20 group to 2.26% day-1 for the control group. Conclusion: The study has shown that the test ingredients can partially replace fishmeal in Nile tilapia diets without considerably compromising diet digestibility and carcass traits although higher dietary levels of the oilseed byproducts negatively affects growth.

Growth Performance, Feed Utilization and Sensory Characteristics of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus Fed Diets with High Inclusion Levels of Copra Meal

Background: The low cost and wide-availability of copra meal in many tropical countries where aquaculture is practiced have generated much interest in its potential inclusion in fish diet formulations. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of very high inclusions of autoclaved copra meal on the growth and feed utilization parameters as well as the sensory qualities of the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. Methods: Fish were fed three experimental diets, a control (CTRL) diet which had fishmeal as the main protein source at an inclusion of 365 gkg-1 and two test diets which contained copra meal at 680 g kg-1 inclusions for a 6-week period. One of the copra meal diets contained sesame meal supplementation (CM+S) as a natural high source of methionine which is the first limiting essential amino acid in copra meal. Results: The dietary treatments had no differential effects on growth, feed intake, or feed utilization parameters in O. niloticus. With the exception of the significantly higher lipid content of the CM+S group, the whole body compositions of the different fish groups were not significantly affected by the different dietary treatments. Remarkably, the high dietary inclusions of copra meal did not have any significant effects on fillet sensory attributes. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that it is possible to include autoclaved copra meal up to 680 g kg-1 in Nile tilapia diets without any deleterious effects on fish growth or on flesh sensory characteristics.