Digesta characteristics in relation to nutrient digestibility and mineral absorption in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) fed cereal grains of increasing viscosity

• Published in: Aquaculture 2007-12, Vol.273 (4), p.556-565
• Main Authors: Leenhouwers, Jascha I., Ortega, Roy C., Verreth, Johan A.J., Schrama, Johan W.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal aquaculture; animal growth; Animal productions; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; antinutritive activity; Aquaculture; Biological and medical sciences; Carbohydrates; Cereals; chain fatty-acids; diets; Digesta; digestibility; Digestive system; Fatty acids; feed; feed composition; fermentation; fish culture; fish feeding; Fresh water ecosystems; Freshwater; freshwater fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; gastrointestinal-tract; General aspects; Hordeum vulgare; ingredients; Mineral absorption; mineral metabolism; mortality; Nile tilapia; Non-starch polysaccharides; nonstarch polysaccharide; Nutrient digestibility; Oreochromis niloticus; small grains; starch; Synecology; Tilapia; tilapia (common name); Triticum aestivum; Viscosity; volatile fatty acids; Zea mays
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2007.10.044

Soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) present in cereal grains may affect performance of Nile tilapia through changes in digesta characteristics. The objective of this study was to investigate whether dietary cereal grains of increasing viscosity induce changes in digesta viscosity, dry matter and volatile fatty acids (VFA) and if these changes explain differences in nutrient digestibility and mineral absorption. Four experimental diets were formulated by adding 40% grains to a basal diet to obtain a range of dietary viscosities, increasing in the order of maize, barley, wheat and rye. The diets were assigned to 16 tanks with 40 fish (mean weight 70 g) each. Digesta viscosity increased with increasing grain viscosity (P