PRODUCTION OF A LOW COST FISH DIET BY USING POULTRY BY-PRODUCTS RESIDUES

Abstract

This study aimed to produce a low cost fish diet through using levels of poultry by-products meal in diets of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). The experiments were carried out through 90 days and included five treatments of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% poultry by-products. The highest weight gain WG (59.84 g) was recorded for fish fed on the control diet followed by those fed on the diet 25% (53.37 g), 50% (52.98 g), 75% (48.46g) and 100% (46.22 g) replacement, respectively. The differences in weight gain among the different fry groups were significant (P<0.05) and the same trend was observed for specific growth rate SGR. The average feed intake, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio of Nile tilapia were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the incorporation of poultry by-products meal as a substitute of fish meal. The results of this study showed that moisture in whole fish body ranged between 77.40 and 80.55% with insignificant differences. Crude protein ranged between 61.70 and 64.44%, ether extract ranged between 15.50 to 17.73% and ash from 17.84 to 22.43% with significant differences for ether extract and protein content of whole fish bodies. Feed cost decreased as inclusion levels of poultry by-products meal increased. Costs were (6020, 5330, 4640 and 3950 LE/Mg) at fish fed on diets contain (25, 50, 75 and 100% of poultry by-products meal respectively) compared with those fed on the control diet (6660 LE/Mg). In conclusion, replacing up to 50% of fish meal by poultry by-products meal did not affect growth performance and feed utilization for tilapia. The higher replacing levels (75 or 100%) significantly adverse growth and feed utilization parameters.