Digestibility of fish silage and fish meal by nile tilapia [oreochromis niioticus]

ABSTRACT

Two digestibility trials were conducted. The first trial determined the digestibility coefficients of the local fish meal [low quality], fish meal [medium quality], fish silage made from fish processing waste and fish silage made from unusable fish for human consumption which were fed as single ingredients for 5 days. The apparent digestibility coefficient of protein, lipid, calcium and phosphorus were higher for the fish silage [which was made from unusable fish for human consumption] followed by the other fish products. The second trial determined the digestibility coefficient of four diets, whereas, each diet contained one source of fish silage made from unusable fish for human consumption and fish silage made from fish processing waste. The present data also indicated that the nutritional value of fish silage was improved by storing the ingredients at -5C prior to ensiling, and the diets done using these silages contained more intact protein and less free amino acids than diets done using conventional fish products