Apparent digestibility coefficient of chickpea, maize, high-quality protein maize, and beans diets in juvenile and adult Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus )

ABSTRACT

The objective of our study was to assess the apparent digestibility of plant ingredients in diets for juvenile (50 g) and adult (220 g) Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Dietary dry matter and protein apparent digestibility coefficients of four plant-derived feedstuffs (chickpea, maize, high-quality maize protein, and beans) were tested. The beans diet had the lowest apparent digestibility coefficient of dry matter (ADC_DM) (69.41%), while no significant differences were detected in ADC_DM among the other diets; ADC_DM was significantly higher in adults compared with juveniles (77.02 vs. 73.76%). Apparent dry matter digestibility coefficient of ingredients (ADC_I) was significantly higher in the chickpea (70.48%) and high-quality protein maize (71.09%) ingredients, and lower in the beans (52.79%) ingredient. Apparent dry matter digestibility coefficient of ingredients was significantly higher in juveniles compared with adults (72.56 vs. 56.80%). The protein digestibility of diet (ADC_CP) was significantly higher in the reference diet (93.68%), while the lowest corresponded to the maize (87.86%) and beans (87.29%) diets. Significantly lower apparent digestibility coefficient of protein (ADC_ICP ) was obtained with the high-quality maize protein (59.11%) and maize (49.48%) ingredients, while higher ADC_ICP was obtained with the chickpea and beans ingredients (71.31 and 63.89%, respectively). The apparent digestibility coefficient of ingredient crude protein ADC_ICP was significantly higher in juveniles compared with adults (67.35 vs. 53.46). Digestibility is generally higher in juveniles, and we recommend using chickpea as an ingredient in diets for Nile tilapia.

Key Words:
adults; feedstuffs; in vivo digestibility; juveniles; plant ingredients