Preliminary formulation of a nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus) feed with alternative ingredients and local by-products
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71068/dabm9366Keywords:
alternative ingredients, aquaculture feed, by-products, duckweed, Nile tilapia, theoretical proteinAbstract
Aquafeed formulation with alternative raw materials requires a clear distinction between theoretical estimates and experimentally determined composition. This study aimed to preliminarily formulate and produce a feed prototype for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using alternative ingredients and local by-products, and to mathematically estimate its protein contribution. An applied, exploratory-descriptive study was conducted. The formulation included a fish-viscera-derived ingredient, soybean meal, duckweed (Lemna minor), rice, coffee residues, sunflower oil, and salt. Fish viscera were washed, ground, heat-treated, and acidified with acetic acid. The final mixture had a total mass of 2462 g. Protein contribution was calculated using theoretical nutritional coefficients and reached 30.03%. This percentage was not determined by proximate analysis and depends on the adopted coefficients, some of which lack batch-specific verification. The prototype could be mixed, shaped, and dried using low-complexity operations under the documented laboratory conditions. Digestibility, proximate composition, water stability, productive performance, cost per kilogram, and environmental impact were not evaluated. In conclusion, a technically producible preliminary formulation was obtained with a mathematically estimated protein contribution close to the target; its nutritional adequacy and productive performance require experimental validation.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Lenin Vicente Loayza Peñaranda, María José Farías Gonsález, Ledi Vergara Miranda
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