investigation of canola and cotton seed meal, and azolla substitution in Nile tilapia diet

Mohammadi, Mohammad; Mashaii, Nasrin; Bitaraf, Ahmad; Rajabipour, Farhad; Sarsangi Aliabad, Habib; Hafeziyeh, Mahmoud

investigation of canola and cotton seed meal, and azolla substitution in Nile tilapia diet

Authors

mohammad mohammadi

nasrin mashaii

ahmad bitaraf

Farhad rajabipour

habib sarsangi aliabad

mahmoud hafeziyeh

national research center of saline water aquatics

Abstract

Growth indices (WG and SGR), food (FCR) and protein efficiency (PER and PCE) of fingerling Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus,were evaluated in 3 synchronous examinations with 12 treatments in triplicates. Groups of control, canola meal (at rates of 25, 50, 75 and 100%), cottonseed meal (at rates of 15, 25, 35 and 45%), as the replacements of expensive protein sources (fish meal and soybean meal), and azolla (at rates of 13, 21 and 29% of diet) were studied. Growth indices, total food intake and protein intake of the control were the highest of all. They decreased with increase in plant protein in every group (p<0.05). FCR and protein efficiency indices didn’t show significant differences (p>0.05) between control and canola meal (at rates of 25 and 50%), cottonseed meal (at rates of 15, 25 and 35%) and azolla (at rates of 13 and 21%). Total food intake, protein consumption and growth indices decreased, because all plant protein ingredients were unpalatable. If the problem of palatability is solved, it seems that the expensive protein sources replace with canola meal and cottonseed meal at the rates of 50 and 35% respectively, and azolla can be used at the rate of 21% in diets.

Keywords

substitution

canola

cotton seed meal

azolla and tilapia