Rearing of jundiá fed with diets containing soy or cotton hull

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of crude fiber on growth, digestive parameters, and yield and carcass quality of jundiá (Rhamdia quelen) juveniles in net cages. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 2x3 factorial scheme (two sources – soy and cotton hull – and three levels of crude fiber: 4, 7 and 10%), with three replicates. Four hundred and fifty fishes (129.11±7.8 g) were randomly distributed in 18 net cages (1 m³), at densities of 25 fish per cage, in 0.1 ha earth fishpond. The following parameters were evaluated: weight, total length, weight gain, biomass, survival, carcass and fillet yield, chemical composition of fillet, digestive and hepato-somatic indexes, intestinal quotient. No difference was detected in the growth performance. Fish fed with soy hull diets presented more fat and mineral accumulation on fillets. The sources and fiber levels tested do not affect jundiá's performance.