THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DISCARDED DATE PALM ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF NILE TILAPIA FINGERLINGS (Oreochromis niloticus)

This work was carried out in fish Research laboratory, Department of
Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafr El-Shiekh University. The
feeding experiments dated from September until December 2014, feeding
experiment was conducted for 12 weeks to study the effect of using different
levels (0, 25, 50,75 and 100%) of discarded date with wheat bran (DDPW) on
growth performance, efficiency of feed utilization, and preliminary economical
evaluation of Nile tilapia (0. niloticus) fingerlings. A total of 225 fish with
average initial body 14.4 g, were randomly stoked into 15 aquaria (15 in
each). Fish in all treatments were daily fed the experimental diets at a level of
3% of the fish biomass untilthe end of the experiment. The feed amount was
given at two times daily, six days a week for 12 weeks. The results showed
that all growth performance parameters and feed utilization values of the
experimental fish were decreased significantly (P < 0.05) by increasing the
level of DDPW in the diets. Diet contained 100% DDPW was significantly
lower (P>0.05) for all the growth performance parameters as compared with
the other treatments.The group fed the control diet (100% yellow corn)
recorded the highest values while those fed the diet containing 100% DDPW
recorded the lowest values while, those fed diets containing 25, 50 and 75 %
DDPW had significantly lower growth performance as compared with the
control diet (100% yellow corn).
 Economically, the change (%) in feed cost/Kg
gain increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing the level of DDPW in
the diets.