Effect of partial replacement of soybean meal protein with dehydrated alfalfa meal (Medicago sativa L.) on growth performance and feed utilization of male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) fingerlings reared in tanks. | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries | ||||
| Article 3, Volume 13, Issue 2, April 2009, Page 35-52 PDF (79.07 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejabf.2009.2031 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
| Nabil Abd El-Hakim1; Mohsen Hussein1; Hassaein Abdel-Halim2 | ||||
| 1Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Agriculture, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt. | ||||
| 2Al-Azhar University, Faculty of Agriculture, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of replacement of soybean meal with alfalfa meat at 0.25.50 and 75% levels on growth performance, feed utilization and the whole body chemical composition. The experiment was conducted in fiberglass tanks belouging to the Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt. Four dietary treatments were performed, each in three replicates, where male Nile tilapia with an initial weight of 27.50g were stocked in fiber glass tanks 50 fish / tank (1m3 total volume) and fed on diets contianing 0.25.50 and 75% alfalfameat in replacement with soybean meal. The experiment lasted 16 weeks after start. Fish were fed on the experiment diets at a rate of 3 % of the tank biomass. Results obtained are summarized as follows: 1-Final weight decreased significantly at substitution levels 50 and 75% of Alfalfa while the substitution level of 25% released no significant effects on final weight compared to the control group. 2-The same trend was observed with weight gain daily gain, specific growth rate and condition factor. 3-Final body length, protein efficiency ratio, energy efficiency ratio, protein productive value, total feed intake; protein intake and energy intake were significantly (P<005) decreased as the increase substitution levels of alfafa meal in the diets. 4-Feed conversion ratio was best for control group, followed the group fed 25.0% (T2) alfalfa meal; while groups fed T3 (50%) and T4 (75%) showed the worst feed conversion ratio. 5-Insignificant differences were observed for mortality rate of fishes fed different levels of alfalfa meal or control group. 6-The group fed 25.0 % of alfalfa meal consumed more feed as compared with control or other dietary treatments. 7-Insignificant differences were observed for water temperature, pH value for groups of fishes fed different levels of alfalfa meal, while dissolved oxygen was significantly (P<0.05) decreased by the increase of substitution levels in the diets. 8-Ammonium, nitrite and nitrate concentrations mg/L significantly (P<0.05) increased by the increase of alfalfa meal in diets. 9-Crude protein was increased in flesh of fish by the increase of alfalfa meal in the diet; while the opposite trend was observed for ether extract; ash % and gross energy (Kcal/kg) where they decrease as the substitution levels of alfalfa meal increased in the diets. 10-The profit index was higher for group of fish fed (75.0%) substitution level in compared with other treatments including control group. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| soybean meal; protein; dehydrated alfalfa meal; Growth performance; male; Nile tilapia | ||||
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