EFFECT OF OCHRATOXIN·A WITH OR WITHOUT BIOGEN® ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE, FEED UTILIZATION AND CARCASS COMPOSITION OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus) FINGERLINGS.

Eight experimental diets containing different levels of ochratoxin-A (aCTA)
being 0, 4.8, 9.6 and 14.4 mg I kg diet with (3 g blogen/Kg diet) or without biogen
were fed to Nile tilapla (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings to determine their effects on
growth performance, feed utilization and carcass composition. These diets containing
30 % crude protein were fed to duplicate groups of tilapia (3.6 glfish) at a daily feeding
rate of 3%of the body weight. The results showed that increasing aCTA levels in the
diet resulted In decreasing growth performance and feed utilization parameters.
However, addition of biogen to the diets enhanced the growth performance, feed
utilization and reduced the negative 6ffects of aCTA on the same parameters.
Carcass dry matter, protein and ash contents were negatively correlated with aCTA
levels however, carcass lipids and gross energy content had positively correlated with
OCTA levels. Supplementation of diets with blogen reduced carcass lipid content than
wtthout biogen. Finally, It could be concluded that OCTA reduced growth performance
and feed utilization of tilapia, however, blogen Improved the above mentioned criteria.