DIGESTIBILITY OF SELECTED FEED INGREDIENTS FOR TIGER GROUPER, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus
Abstract: The apparent
digestibility (AD) of eight feed ingredients are widely available in Indonesia
was determined. In each of two 5x5 latin-square experimental, tiger grouper
Epinephelus fuscoguttatus juveniles (100—150 g) were fed a reference diet and
four test diets in accordance with the latin-square design. Test feed
ingredients were substituted at rates of 40% for animal meals or 30% for plant
meals. Chromic oxide was used as the digestibility marker. In determining the
ingredient AD, the substitution ratio was calculated as the proportion of the
nutrient (or energy) contributed by the test ingredient on an ‘as-is’ basis.
Digestibility tanks were steeply slope 200 L cylindroconical tanks with a
bottom outlet to facilitate faecal collection, which was carried out at
3-hourly intervals throughout the day. Each collection period took 5—7 days
with a similar acclimatization time between diets. A combined ANOVA of the data
for both experimental showed no difference (P>0.05) in the AD’s for each
reference diets. Thus for comparative purpose, the derived AD’s of the test
ingredients were analysed as a single ANOVA. The digestibility of animal meals
was generally high(>59% for dry matter, >83% for protein, >65% for
lipid, and >70 for gross energy) while that of plant meals was slow (<53%
for dry matter, <53% for protein, <66% for lipid, and <46% for gross
energy). This information will enable grow-out feeds for tiger grouper to be
formulated on a least-cost digestible nutrient basis.
Keywords: nutrition; feed
ingredient
Author: Usman, Kevin C.
Williams, Mike A. Rimmer
Journal Code: jpperikanangg070019
