Effects of replacement of fishmeal by cricket meal on the growth performance, feed efficiency, survival and body composition of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fry

10.29822/JFST.202209_49(3).0005

Alla Ndione；Jean Fall；Safietou Mbaye；Paul Mamadou Ndour；Sokhna Khady Lo Fall；Saloum Jatta；Abdoulaye Loum；Mariama Sagne；Abdoulaye Diouf；Diegane Ndong；Malick Diouf；Cheikh Tidiane Ba；Angela Chien

Oreochromis niloticus ； cricket meal ； growth ； survival ； feed efficiency

臺灣水產學會刊

49卷3期（2022 / 09 / 01）

203 - 211

英文

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of substituting fishmeal with cricket meal on the growth performance, feed efficiency, and body composition of 0.26 g Oreochromis niloticus fry. Five isonitrogenous diets (35.5% crude protein) were formulated to replace fish meal with cricket meal at varying levels, namely R1 (0% cricket meal), R2 (25% cricket meal), R3 (50% cricket meal), R4 (75% cricket meal), and R5 (100% cricket meal). The study extended over 8 weeks, during which 225 fry were distributed across 15 plastic tanks, each with a 40-liter capacity, housing 15 fish per tank. Feeding occurred three times daily at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 5 p.m., starting with a feeding rate equivalent to 10% of their body weight for the first two weeks, followed by a reduction to 8% for the subsequent two weeks. Later in the experiment, feeding rates were adjusted to 6% and 4% as required. The fish fed a diet with 25% cricket meal replacing fish meal exhibited the significantly higher growth performance and feed efficiency than those fed other treatment diets. No significant differences were observed between the control diet (R1) and the treatment diets (R3, and R4) concerning growth performance and feed utilization parameters. Survival did not significantly differ among all five diets. Initial fish had lower protein and ash contents than the fish fed with the treatment diets for 8 weeks. Generally, crude protein and ash contents in fish muscle decreased as cricket meal content in the diets increased. Dry matter and crude lipid values were lower in the initial fish compared to the experimental fish. In general, fish fed the experimental diets had similar dry matter values. The crude lipid content of the fish generally increased with the increasing cricket meal content in the diet. In this study, we opted for a 75% replacement of fishmeal with cricket meal as a precautionary measure, given that high dietary inclusion of cricket meal led to increased body lipid content.