UTILIZATION OF DISTILLERS DRIED GRAINS WITH SOLUBLES IN FISH NUTRITION: 1-REPLACEMENT SOYBEAN MEAL AND YELLOW CORN BY DDGS GRADED LEVELS IN DIET FOR NILE TILAPIA FINGERLINGS ( Oreochromis niloticus).

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding different levels of DDGS in the diets of tilapia fingerlings on growth performance, feed utilization, chemical composition of the whole fish body, blood hematological and economic efficiency. Therefore, five grading levels of DDGS ( 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% ( D1- D5)) were used to replace soybean meal and yellow corn protein in approximately five isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets. Fish were stocked in a rearing plastic tank for two weeks adaptation period, then it were stocked at the rate of 5 fish/glass aquarium with initial weight of 6.0 ± 0.14 g/fish. During the experimental period (72 days) the fish were fed diets daily on the rate of 6% from the total weight for six days per week. The obtained results could be summarized as following: There was insignificant (P ≥ 0.05) effect of DDGS levels on all traits of growth performance and feed utilization. The highest values of growth parameters were recorded at 5% and 10% levels of DDGS except FBW . The high levels of DDGS rather than 5% decreased crude protein and increased ash and crude fat content in fish body. The better values of crude protein and energy content were recorded in fish body fed 5% of DDGS in the diet. No significant effect in hepatosomatic index was observed among different levels DDGS. The intestine somatic index was decreased significantly (p≥ 0.05) with increasing DDGS level in fish diet. Mean values of blood parameter measurements of the control diet gave the high values compared with the other tested diets. The best values of economic efficiency were recorded with the levels 10% and 5% of DDGS. It may be concluded that replace soybean meal and yellow corn by DDGS until 10% in the diets of tilapia fish had not any adverse effect on most of growth parameters , feed utilization ,chemical composition of fish body, hematological blood parameters and economic efficiency.