<b>Mannanoligosaccharides in diets for Nile tilapia, juveniles</b> - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v32i2.7724

Abstract

This study was carried out to assess the inclusion of mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) in diets for Nile tilapia juveniles. Two-hundred and twenty fish with an average initial weight of approximately 25 ± 1.0 g were used, during 53 days. Fish were distributed in a randomized block design. Each 1,000 L tank with four cages (0.12 m³ each), was considered as a block; fish in each cage received a different dietary treatment. A control diet with 28.5% of crude protein and 2,855 kcal of digestible energy kg^-1 was used and dietary MOS was included at 0, 1, 2 and 3%. No effects of MOS on feed intake, hepatosomatic index, survival, moisture, body ash, apparent digestibility coefficients of dry matter, gross energy, crude protein, ether extract and ash availability, intestinal villi density and number of goblet cells per villus were observed. The best values of feed-to-gain ratio, protein efficiency ratio, body composition and villi height were observed in fish fed with dietary MOS. It was concluded that 1% of dietary MOS is adequate for Nile tilapia juveniles.