DESENVOLVIMENTO E UTILIZAÇÃO DE RAÇÃO PARA TILÁPIAS-DO-NILO A BASE DE FRUTO NATIVO DO CERRADO

Abstract

The objective of this study was to develop feed for Nile tilapia, using baru as an alternative ingredient, and to evaluate the effects that consumption of this ingredient reveal on the development and performance of fish and fillet composition. The starting point of the formulations was the nutritional requirement of the species for the fattening and finishing phase, all diets were calculated to present similar nutritional values. The study was developed in a completely randomized design with plots divided over time for the variables of continuous assessment (0, 15, 45 and 60 days). The diets with different concentrations of baru (0%, 5% and 10%) were considered treatments, totaling 108 animals with an average weight of 520g  56.41 and randomly distributed in 9 tanks of 1000L, total of 12 animals per experimental unit. Evaluations of bromatology and morphometry of whole fish and fillet, zootechnical performance and intestinal histomorphometry were performed. It was noted that the baru diet does not interfere with parameters of zootechnical performance, morphometry and nutritional quality, however, a diet with addition of 10% baru seems to negatively influence the homogeneity of the batches. The 5% ration for improving intestinal villus height and not compromising the batch homogeneity would be the most recommended