Incorporation Of Dietary Palm Date Pits in All-Male Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus ) Diets

Abstract

A 45- days randomized factorial design 3×2 (Three levels 25,50 and 75%) of palm date pits, three level (Non, with and without) of 3% bakery yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and three replicates. The experiment was conducted in twenty one plastic aquaria .The all-male Nile tilapia (Orechromis niloticus) fingerlings were placed in each aquaria. Each aquarium supplied with well-aerated and precipitated dechlorinated tap water with an average weight 1.9±1.11 g/fish (10 fish/aquaria) and total length 5.18±0.69 cm/fish. Fish were fed three times/day (10 days, at 8.30-11.30 - 3.30 A.M) at a rate of 12, 8 and 4% of body weight, to study the Effect of partial replacement of animal protein (fish meal) in the diet on growth performance, carcass composition, feed utilization, condition factor(k) and feed cost . Seven experimental diets were prepared; control diet (T0, CP 36.84) contained 45% (fish meal) as animal protein and 0% (palm date pit meal) plant protein. Tested diets (T1, T2 and T3 ) contained 25, 50, 75% with 3% bakery yeast (CP 35.71, 35.53, 34.74) and 25,50,75% without yeast(CP36.01, 36.27 and 35.57) respectively ; in order to substituting about 75, 50, and 25 of fish meal diet respectively. The results revealed that, tilapia fed on T1 , T2 and T4 diets (25, 50 and 25%) replacement with and without yeast respectively recorded the best growth performance, feed and protein utilization than other experimental as compared to control diet, also they represent the highest condition factor(K) values which indicate that the fish are in good health. Tilapia fed on diet T3 (25%fish meal ) T5,T6 (50 and 25%fish meal) with and without yeast respectively had poor growth and differ significantly (p<0.05) from the rest diets . Diet composition significantly affect carcass composition. These data suggested that Palm date Pit with and without yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae can partially replacefish meal (animal protein) in fingerlings all-male Nile tilapia diet at level up