ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive performance of female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed diets containing different levels of digestible energy (DE). The fish were housed in 15 fiberglass tanks (500 L) in a recirculating system at an average temperature of 27.5 °C. The treatments consisted of five diets with increasing levels of DE (3,200; 3,400; 3,600; 3,800; and 4,000 kcal/kg). The levels of DE did not significantly influence the final weight or the hepatosomatic, gonadosomatic, and visceral fat indices. The absolute fecundity was influenced by the treatments, for which the highest values were observed from the 3,600 kcal/kg DE level and upward. The proximate composition of the fish also had a significant effect on the variables crude protein, ether extract, and ash; the fish fed diets with higher levels of DE exhibited the lowest body protein content, while the accumulation of ether extract exhibited the opposite response. A level of 3,600 kcal/kg of digestible energy should be used in diets with 380 g/kg crude protein and a starch/lipid ratio of 1.33 for female Nile tilapia.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da inclusão de glicerol na dieta, em substituição ao amido, sobre o desempenho e o metabolismo energético de juvenis de tilápia-do-nilo. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com quatro tratamentos (0, 5, 10 e 15% de glicerol purificado) e seis repetições. Dietas peletizadas, isonitrogenadas e isoenergéticas foram fornecidas por 60 dias. Os parâmetros de desempenho produtivo e as concentrações de glicose e proteína muscular não foram afetados pelos níveis de glicerol na dieta. O tratamento com 15% de glicerol apresentou maiores níveis de triglicerídeos musculares e hepáticos. Observou-se efeito quadrático dos tratamentos nas concentrações de triglicerídeos no músculo e no fígado. O tratamento com 0% de glicerol apresentou maiores níveis de glicose hepática do que o tratamento com 15%. Os tratamentos não diferiram quanto às concentrações de proteína no fígado, bem como de glicose, triglicerídeos e proteína no plasma. Os tratamentos com 10 e 15% de glicerol apresentaram maiores atividades da enzima glicose-6-fosfato-desidrogenase do que o tratamento com 5%; no entanto, não houve diferenças significativas nas atividades hepáticas das enzimas málica e glicerol quinase. Observou-se efeito linear positivo dos tratamentos na atividade da enzima glicerol quinase no fígado. Níveis de inclusão de glicerol acima de 10% na dieta de juvenis de tilápia-do-nilo o caracterizam como nutriente lipogênico.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of inclusion of dietary glycerol in replacement to starch on the growth and energy metabolism of Nile tilapia juveniles. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with four treatments (0, 5, 10, and 15% purified glycerol) and six replicates. Pelleted, isonitrogenous, and isocaloric diets were provided for 60 days. Growth performance parameters and muscle glucose and protein concentrations were not affected by dietary glycerol levels. The treatment with 15% glycerol presented higher levels of muscle and liver triglycerides. A quadratic effect of treatments on muscle and liver triglyceride concentrations was observed. The treatment with 0% glycerol presented higher hepatic glucose levels than the one with 15%. Treatments did not differ for concentrations of liver protein, as well as of plasma glucose, triglycerides, and protein. Treatments with 10 and 15% glycerol showed higher activity of the glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase enzyme than the treatment with 5%; however, there were no significant differences in the hepatic activities of the malic and glycerol kinase enzymes. A linear positive effect of treatments was observed on the activity of the glycerol kinase enzyme in liver. Levels of glycerol inclusion above 10% in the diet of Nile tilapia juveniles characterize it as a lipogenic nutrient.