Authors : M. Ayce Genc , Nazmi Tekelioglu , Erdal Yilmaz , Arzu Ozluer Hunt and Yasemen Yanar
Abstract: This study was performed to examine the effects of betaine on growth performance and body composition of Oreochromis aureus reared in fresh and sea water comparatively. Fish was fed with diets containing graded levels of betaine (0, 1, and 2%) during 43 days in fresh water (Experiment I). Some fish cultivated for 43 days in fresh water conditions were transferred to the seawater tanks. Remaining fish were left in same fresh water tanks. In both conditions, fish were fed to same diets during 60 days (Experiment II). Regarding findings of Experiment I, betaine supplementation did not improve the growth of Oreochromis aureus. Final weight of fish fed the control diet (0% betaine) showed better performance compared to fish fed 1 and 2 % betaine (p<0.05). On the other hand, live weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and survival rates of all groups were found similar at the end of 43 days (p>0.05). In experiment II, final weights of control groups in both fresh and sea water conditions were relatively higher than that of the treatment groups for 60 day-feeding period. Fish reared with same treatment groups in both fresh and seawater were observed similar in terms of their final mean weights. Live weight gain, feed conversion and survival rates of fish fed control and 1 and 2 % betaine groups showed no difference in both fresh and seawater conditions (p>0.05).
M. Ayce Genc , Nazmi Tekelioglu , Erdal Yilmaz , Arzu Ozluer Hunt and Yasemen Yanar , 2006. Effect of Dietary Betaine on Growth Performance and Body Composition of Oreochromis aureus Reared in Fresh and Sea WaterA Comparative Study. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 1185-1188.