<b>Blood meal on practical diets for Nile tilapia (<em>Oreochromis niloticus</em> L.)</b> - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v26i1.1895

Abstract

The effects of soybean meal protein replaced by blood meal protein on growth performance and hematological parameters of Nile tilapia were analyzed after 15 experimental weeks. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments (0%; 10%; 30% e 60% of replacement) and eight replicates. 128 fingerlings (6.00 ± 0.39g initial weight) were randomly stocked into 32 200L aquaria at a density of 4 fish/aquarium. Aquaria were supplied with biofilter and heater, which kept the temperature at 25.0 ± 2.0^C. At the end of experiment were evaluated the average weight gain, feed conversion ratio, percentage of survival, red blood cell count, white blood cell count, concentration of hemoglobin, percentage of hematocrit, total plasmatic protein, serum iron, liver characteristics, liver and muscle iron. Blood meal did not totally replace soybean meal in Nile tilapia feed; replacement until 10.0% can be considered; blood meal did not determined undesirable effects on hematological parameters and liver and filet iron concentration are responsive to the feed iron concentration.