The objective of this work was to evaluate the apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), protein and energy of ingredients from animals and plants utilized in the ration for cachama (Piaractus brachypomus).Fifteen experimental diets were formulated, which were composed by 69.5% of a semipurified reference diet, 0.5% chromium oxide, and 30% of the ingredient to be evaluated. In each experiment, 90 fish fed the corresponding diet were used; in the fifth day, fish were transferred to conical tanks for fecal sampling. The apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) of protein varied between 92.1 and 84.7% among protein ingredients from plants, between 85.0 and 68.5% among protein ingredients from animals, and between 83.7 and 57.6% among low-protein ingredients from plants. Energy ADC of soybean meal, corn gluten, wholly yuca meal and of all ingredients from animals produced values higher than 76%. The highest values for CDA of DM varied between 71 and 78% and were observed in gluten, yuca meal and in ingredients from animals. Cachama has a high ability to efficiently benefit from ingredients from animals and plants.
Piaractus brachypomus; digestibility coeficients; digestible energy; feedstuffs; tropical fish; digestible protein
