Replacement of soybean meal protein by canola meal protein in diets for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the growing phase

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of diets with different crude protein (CP) replacement levels of soybean meal (SBM) by canola meal (CM) on growing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) performance and carcass characteristics. Eighty fishes (22.19+/-0.29 g) were assigned to a block randomized design, with four treatments and five replications. The experimental diets were formulated with 0.00, 33.33, 66.67 and 100.00% levels of SBM protein replacement by the CM protein, corresponding to 0.00, 24.50, 49.00, and 73.50% dietary CM inclusion in the diets. It was observed effect of inclusion levels on weight gain and carcass yield. Apparent feed:gain ratio and protein efficiency rate were not affected by the treatments. It was concluded that the CM can be included at 35.40% of diets, substituting 48.17% of SM protein in diets for Nile tilapia in the growing phase.