Protein sources digestibility and inorganic phosphates availability by nile tilapia in tree development stages

Abstract

Apparent digestibility of nutrients in several protein ingredients and inorganic phosphates was compared in three Nile tilapia different development stage. The ingredients tested were fish meal, chicken by-product meal, meat and bone meal, corn gluten, soybean meal, cotton seed meal, mono-bi-calcium phosphate, bi-calcium phosphate, mono-potassium phosphate and phosphoric acid. The apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, crude protein, gross energy, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium were determined with 25 g, 250 g and 500 g fish. It was concluded that the capacity of Nile tilapia to digesting feed and absorbing nutrients is dependent on the body weight and characteristics of food evaluated. There was a trend to better utilization of nutrients from animal origin foods and inorganic sources by 25 g fish. The fishes with 250 g and 500 g showed better use of plant protein sources than 25 g fish.