APPARENT DIGESTIBILITY COEFFICIENTS OF DENDÊ CAKE AND COCONUT BRAN BY PACU (<em>Piaractus mesopotamicus</em>)

Abstract

This work was carried out at CEPTA, Pirassununga, State of São Paulo, Brazil, and the objective was to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients of dendê cake (Elais guineensis) and coconut bran (Cocus mucifera), by pacu. The pacus of 180.00g of initial weight and 15.00cm of length were stocked in 300-liter circular fiberglass and conic tanks, at a rate of 30 fish/tank, with a continuos water influx and excrement collecting system. These tanks were specially designed for digestibility studies after Guelph model. In each tank 30 pacus were stocked. After 24 hours, they were fed ad satis two times a day with complete diet (consisting of 30.00% CP and 3,00 Kcal/ED/kg ration). On the third day of investigation, they were fed with test ration consisting of 70% dende cake and coconut bran, 29.50% wheat bran and 0.50% chromic oxide, pelleted at a 3.00mm diameter. The apparent digestibility coefficient for dendê cake was 54.80% for dry matter fraction (DM), 75.76% for crude protein (CP), 88.98% for fat extract (FE), 0.00% for crude fiber (CF) and 74.60% for mineral matter (MM), while for coconut bran was 72.63%, 83.35%, 97.56%, 38.57% and 87.42%, respectively, for DM, CP, FE, CF and MM. The coconut bran and dendê cake can be used as an alternative protein source for fish diets, however, the coconut cake showed better apparent digestibility for pacu in comparison to dendê cake.