Title
Supplementation of maca (Lepidium meyenii) tuber meal in diets improves growth rate and survival of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) alevins and juveniles
Date Issued
26 February 2004
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Abstract
Maca tuber meal is used in fish diet formulations in Andean trout culture and knowledge of its effects on fish growth is paramount to healthy human food production. In the first experiment with rainbow trout alevins (0.096 ± 0.002 g), starter diets were offered from first feeding until 15 weeks. We formulated high protein content (∼60%) semi-purified starter diets supplemented with 0%, 5%, 10%, or 15% maca tuber meal (control, M-5, M-10, and M-15 respectively). The second feeding trial was conducted with juveniles (1.56 ± 0.02 g) fed one of three diets (control, M-15, and commercial) for 8 weeks. In the first experiment, fish fed M-10 and M-15 diets exhibited significantly higher growth rates than the other dietary groups. Survival was significantly improved in the groups fed diets supplemented with maca tuber meal (60.0-69.2%) in comparison with the group fed a control diet (21.7%). The second experiment showed a higher growth rate in the M-15 group compared with the control and a commercial diet fed group. Leucocyte numbers were increased by dietary supplementation of maca tuber meal. The findings of the present study suggest that a maca tuber meal inclusion at least 5% improves growth rate, feed utilization, immunity by increased leucocyte number, and survival of rainbow trout alevins and juveniles.
Start page
215
End page
223
Volume
35
Issue
3
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencia veterinaria
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-1242276725
Source
Aquaculture Research
ISSN of the container
1355557X
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus