Tilapia processing waste meal: nutritional composition and apparent digestibility

The aim was to evaluate the nutritional composition of fishmeal from the processing of Nile tilapia, obtained at six different fish processing plants, as well as to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients of crude protein (ADC(CP)), crude energy (ADC(CE)), ether extract (ADC(EE)) and available phosphorus (P-A) by Nile tilapia juveniles. Treatments consisted of a reference diet, and six tests composed by 70% reference diet plus 30% of the meals. The nutritional contents of meals showed variations. Significant differences (P < .05) were observed for ADC(CP), which varied from 88.37% to 92.89%. No differences were observed for ADC(CE), ADC(EE) and P-A, which were 84.67%, 84.92%, and 25.99%, respectively. The meals obtained from Nile tilapia processing presented variations in its nutritional contributions; however, no differences were observed in its biological values that might compromise its utilization in diets for tilapia.