Authors : E.A.T. Mubarak, M.A. Amiza, H.K. Bakhsh and A.B. Abol-Munafi
Abstract: A 3 weeks feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the Apparent Digestibility Coefficients (ADCs) of dry matter, protein, gross energy, nitrogen, crude lipid and fiber of Water Hyacinth (WH), Echhornia crassipes meal incorporated in pelleted test feeds (0, 10, 15, 20 and 25%, dry matter basis) for red tilapia fingerlings. Chromium dioxide (1%) was added as an inert bio-marker to iso-nitrogenous (35.00±0.20% crude protein) and iso-caloric (4.00±0.52 kcal kg-1) feeds. Results showed that the maximum value (p = 0.05) of ADCs for dry matter (68.09%) was recorded for the control feed with 0% WH while the minimum value of 50.36% was recorded for the test feed 4 including 20% WH. Similarly, the maximum ADCs values (p = 0.05) for crude protein, gross energy, ether extract, crude lipid and crude fiber were also found in control feed while the minimum values were observed in test feed 4 including 20% WH. The study was clearly indicated that red tilapia fingerlings efficiently digest the nutrients when only the maximum inclusion of WH 20% in their feed does not exceed 20% of WH meal (on dry basis).
E.A.T. Mubarak, M.A. Amiza, H.K. Bakhsh and A.B. Abol-Munafi, 2011. Apparent Digestibility Coefficients of Pelleted Feed Incorporated with Water Hyacinth Echhornia crassipes Fed to Red Tilapia, [Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters, 1852) X Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758)]. Agricultural Journal, 6: 322-326.