Authors : T.W. Schaeffer, M.L. Brown and K.A. Rosentrater
Abstract: A feeding trial was performed to investigate levels of corn-based Distillers Dried Grains with solubles (DDGS), a co-product of fuel ethanol manufacturing, used as a nutrient source for juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Three isocaloric (15.7±0.7 MJ kg-1 dry matter), isonitrogenous (29.6±1.0% crude protein) experimental diets were formulated to contain 20, 30 and 40% DDGS; a commercial diet containing fishmeal was used as a reference diet. Glass aquaria (110 L) were stocked with Nile tilapia (mean weight = 6.7 g) with four replicates per diet. Weight gains, conversion ratios and hepatosomatic indices did not significantly differ between fish fed 20% DDGS and reference diets. Dressing percentages were similar among fish fed 20 and 30% DDGS and reference diets, while no difference occurred in protein efficiency ratios among diets. These results indicate that aquaculture diets incorporating 20% DDGS may produce similar performance results to commercial diets of similar energy content.
T.W. Schaeffer, M.L. Brown and K.A. Rosentrater, 2009. Performance Characteristics of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fed Diets Containing Graded Levels of Fuel-Based Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles. Journal of Aquaculture Feed Science and Nutrition, 1: 78-83.