The effects of dietary protein content, lipid content and ration level on oxygen consumption and specific dynamic action in oreochromis niloticus L

Abstract

1. 1. The effects of dietary protein, lipid levels and ration level on oxygen consumption and specific dynamic action (SDA) were measured in Oreochromis niloticus using computer-controlled metabolic chambers. Oxygen consumption, SDA coefficient and SDA magnitude increased notably with increasing dietary protein content. 2. 2. The effect of dietary lipid, however, was shown to be virtually absent in tilapia, in contrast to some other fish species. 3. 3. Ration size had no effect on SDA coefficient but did increase oxygen consumption by up to 2.4 times over a long period. 4. 4. These data enable the prediction of peak levels of oxygen consumption and the duration of the effect if diet type and intake are known. 5. 5. Such predictive models have clear utility in production design and management. 6. 6. In addition, the regression equations derived are useful in estimating energy losses due to SDA both in practical aquaculture situations and in studies of physiological energetics.