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Title: USE OF CORN-DERIVED ETHANOL COPRODUCTS AND SYNTHETIC LYSINE AND TRYPTOPHAN ON GROWTH OF TILAPIA (OREOCHROMIS NILOTICUS) FRY

Author
item Wu, Ying Victor
item ROSATI, RONALD - IL STATE UNIVERSITY
item BROWN, PAUL - PURDUE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/13/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Increased use of domestic fuel alcohol, derived from corn by fermentation, reduces our dependence on petroleum import. Corn is a renewable resource produced in great surplus by American farmers. Fermentation of corn to make alcohol also produces protein-rich coproducts. As demands for fuel alcohol increase, a greater amount of these coproducts will be available and it is economically essential to find new markets for them. Protein-rich alcohol coproducts are potentially inexpensive ingredients for fish feed, and they were incorporated into fish feed at two protein levels. The lower protein diet with two-thirds corn gluten feed by weight gave the same weight gain and feed conversion ratio as a commercial fish feed with higher protein and fish meal, an expensive ingredient. These alcohol coproducts from corn can be used in inexpensive fish feed and result in more market demands for corn farmers as well as more profits for fish producers.

Technical Abstract: Corn gluten meal, corn gluten feed, and corn distillers' grains with solubles, the coproducts from ethanol fermentation of corn, were incorporated in tilapia diets with 32 and 36% protein. The diets were balanced in amino acid composition by addition of soy flour and/or synthetic lysine and tryptophan. The diets were fed to tilapia fry of average initial weight of 0.5 g in aquaria for 8 weeks. Weight gain expressed as percentage increase after 56 days were best (P < 0.05) for a 28% protein diet with 67% corn gluten feed and 26% soy flour, a 32% protein diet with 54% corn gluten feed and 39% soy flour, and the control diet with 32% protein. Weight gain was positively correlated with protein content, lysine/protein and protein/energy. Fish fed all diets had the same feed conversion ratio (P > 0.05) independent of protein contents or ingredients studied. Fish fed the 28% protein diet with 67% corn gluten feed and 26% soy flour had higher protein efficiency ratio than a 28% protein high corn gluten feed diet with corn gluten meal and synthetic lysine and tryptophan, and a 28% protein high corn distillers' grains with solubles diet with soy flour and synthetic lysine. It appears the 28% protein diet with 67% corn gluten feed and 26% soy flour is adequate for tilapia fry based on weight gain, feed conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio.