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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #236271
Title: Utilization of diets containing graded levels of ethanol production co-products by Nile Tilapia

Author
item SCHAEFFER, TRAVIS - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item BROWN, MICHAEL - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Rosentrater, Kurt

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/10/2010
Publication Date: 7/21/2010
Citation: Schaeffer, T., Brown, M.L., Rosentrater, K.A. 2010. Utilization of diets containing graded levels of ethanol production co-products by Nile Tilapia. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2010.01020.x.

Interpretive Summary: A feeding trial was performed to investigate levels of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as a supplemental protein source for Nile tilapia. Six experimental diets that had a constant level of calories (4.43 kcal/g), and constant protein (39.3 %) were formulated to contain 0, 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, and 27.5% DDGS. Several glass aquaria were connected to a recirculating system and stocked with seven Nile tilapia each, using four replicate aquaria per diet. The control diet (0% DDGS) resulted in significantly higher weight gain (WG), food conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) than all experimental diets, except 17.5% DDGS for FCR and PER. The diet containing 27.5% DDGS had significantly lower FCR and PER values than all other diets. Although DDGS can be incorporated at higher levels, 20% DDGS seemed to promote the best WG among experimental diets, while 17.5% appeared to promote optimal FCR and PER. The use of diets containing 17.5% or 20% DDGS may offset the higher costs of a fishmeal-based diet, provided that adequate growth can be achieved during the production period.

Technical Abstract: A feeding trial was performed to investigate levels of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as a supplemental nutrient source for juvenile Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Six isocaloric (4.43 ± 0.20 kcal/g), isonitrogenous (39.3 ± 0.4% protein) experimental diets were formulated to contain 0 (fishmeal, reference), 17.5, 20, 22.5, 25, and 27.5% DDGS. Glass aquaria (110-L) were connected in parallel to a recirculating culture system, and stocked with seven Nile tilapia (initial mean weight = 34.9 ± 1.4 g) with four replicate aquaria per diet. The reference diet had significantly higher weight gain (WG), food conversion ratio (FCR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) than all experimental diets except 17.5% DDGS for FCR and PER. The diet containing 27.5% DDGS had significantly lower FCR and PER values than all other diets. Although DDGS can be incorporated at higher levels, 20% DDGS seemed to promote the highest WG among experimental diets, while 17.5% apparently promoted the best FCR and PER. The use of diets containing 17.5% or 20% DDGS may offset the higher costs of a fishmeal-based diet provided that adequate growth is achieved during the production period.