To evaluate the chemical composition of the earthworm (Eisenia foetida) co-dried (EW) with vegetable meals (VM) as animal feed ingredient, the blends were mixed with wheat bran (WB), rice powder (RP), corn meal (CM) and soy cake meal (SCM) in proportions of 85:15; 75:25 and 65:35. The dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fat (CFA), crude fiber (CF), ashes and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) of the ingredients and final mixtures were determined. All the mixtures resulted with a high content of DM (≥90.00 %). No significant differences among the proportions were revealed (P>0.05). In addition, the higher inclusion of the earthworm in the proportions (85:15) increased (P<0.05) the CP (54.70 %), CFA (7.28 %), and ashes (10.20 %), mainly when mixed with SCM, CM, and RP, respectively. However, the use of vegetable meals proportionally increased the CF (7.31 %), and NFE (52.62 %), mainly with the proportion of 65:35 and with RP and CM, respectively (P<0.05). The results showed that the vegetable meals (WB, RP, CM, and SCM) are useful to co-dry the earthworm to be use for animal feed. It is concluded that the most appropriate proportion (VM:EW) will depend on the animal species, productive stage and market requirement.

Objetivo. Determinar la respuesta de los indicadores productivos al incluir palmiste (Elaeis guineensis) en dietas para la nutrición de alevines de tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Material y métodos. Se utilizaron 300 machos masculinizados de tilapia (4,89 ± 0,09 g) y se distribuyeron bajo un diseño completamente al azar con tres repeticiones por tratamiento (20 peces por repetición). Se utilizó palmiste para formular cinco dietas isoproteicas (30,64%), isolipídicas (7,38%) e isoenergéticas (11,84 MJ kg^-1 de alimento), control (T0), 5% (T5); 10% (T10); 15% (T15) y 20% (T20) para alimentar durante 60 días. Resultados. Los peces alimentados con los tratamientos T0, T5 y T10, no mostraron diferencias significativas (p> 0.05), pero sí con T15 y T20 en la digestibilidad de los nutrientes, el crecimiento y la composición del cuerpo. La inclusión de palmiste hasta el 20% de la dieta, disminuyó el costo del alimento. Se observó un alto grado de dependencia entre el contenido de fibra detergente neutro (%), la digestibilidad aparente de la materia seca (%) y la digestibilidad aparente de la proteína (%) (R² = 0,732 y R² = 0,774; p <0,000), respectivamente. Conclusiones. El palmiste se puede usar hasta el 10% en dietas para alevines de tilapia, sin afectar la digestibilidad aparente de los nutrientes, el crecimiento y el contenido nutricional en todo el cuerpo. La inclusión progresiva de palmiste en las dietas, disminuyó el costo del alimento, para un cultivo de tilapia más rentable.

Objetivo. Caracterizar la composición química de intestinos de pollos procesados con harinas vegetales (HV), como fuente alternativa de proteína para la acuicultura. Materiales y métodos. Los intestinos de pollos, molidos, cocidos y desgrasados (IPMCD), se mezclaron de forma individual con harinas vegetales (HV): polvo de arroz (PA), salvado de trigo (ST), harinas de palmiste (HPa), maíz (HM) y soya (HS), en proporciones (p:p): 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50 y 40:60 (IPMCD:HV), con 20 tratamientos y diseño completamente aleatorizado. Se evaluó materia seca, proteína cruda, lípidos, fibra, cenizas, energía bruta (MJ kg^-1) y costos. Se aplicó análisis de componentes principales (PCA) para verificar la interacción entre proporciones. Resultados. Las mayores proporciones con IPMCD, incrementaron el contenido de proteína y lípidos (p<0.05) y redujeron el costo (p<0.05). Las mezclas con 50:50 y 40:60% (IPMCD:HV) mostraron mayores niveles de fibra y cenizas (p<0.05). Además, el empleó de HS en las mezclas, incrementó el porcentaje de proteína, energía y costos (p<0.05), efecto contrario con HPa que mostró los menores costos (p<0.05). Conclusiones. Las proporciones de IPMCD:HV alcanzaron altos niveles de materia seca, que facilitó el proceso de deshidratación. El contenido nutricional y costos de las mezclas, las acredita como posibles alimentos acuícolas, para reemplazar la proteína en las dietas, según la especie, fin productivo y requerimientos del mercado. El PCA con matriz de covarianza, sugiere que los tratamientos IPMCD:HS (80:20), IPMCD:HS (70:30) y IPMCD:HS (60:40) tienen mejores características nutricionales, aunque, IPMCD:HPa (80:20) mostró altos niveles de proteína y fue la más económica.

The ensilability and chemical composition of silages made with different proportions (100:0; 90:10; 80:20; 70:30; 60:40 and 50:50%) of foliage (fresh and pre-wilted) and noni fruit (fresh) was evaluated. Some fermentative patterns of the original forages and the chemical content of the silages were determined. Correlations between the parameters of quality, chemical composition and the fruit levels in the mixture were made and adjusted the same one to polynomial equations. A higher inclusion of fruits with both fresh and pre-wilted foliage of noni decreases the pH and NH3-N Nt-1 in the silage. In addition, the increase in the level of fruit increased the concentration of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and the ratio of WSC/PC. Moreover, the pre-wilted foliage increased the dry matter (DM) content and its combination with fruit levels between 30 to 40% decreased the fibrous compounds and crude protein (CP) concentration in the silage. According to a cubic model used, the pre-wilted foliage and fruit proportions showed a higher R2 for DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent-lignin (ADL) and cellulose, while CP and hemicelluloses were higher in the fresh plant material. The results showed that the pre-withered process (foliage) and inclusion levels of 30 and 40% of fruits in the mixture improved the quality of the silage intended for animals.

The valorization of fishery discards represents a key challenge for the sustainability of the maritime sector and the circular economy. This study evaluated the potential of whole European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) from fishery discards as a nutritious and functional ingredient through its transformation into flour and its nutritional, functional, and microbiological characterization. Anchovies were processed by washing, grinding, autoclave sterilization (116 °C, F₀ = 6), drying, and milling to obtain a homogeneous flour. The resulting flour exhibited a high dry matter content (96.87%) and crude protein content (74.03%), together with a nutritionally balanced amino acid profile, with essential amino acids representing 50.59% of the total amino acid content and all indispensable amino acids meeting or exceeding the FAO/WHO/UNU reference amino acid pattern for adults. The flour also contained nutritionally relevant amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids (4.73%), calcium (2.52%), and phosphorus (2.11%). Histamine concentrations were within acceptable limits, and microbiological analyses confirmed compliance with food safety criteria, with no detection of relevant pathogens. The results indicate that discarded anchovy flour has potential for incorporation into food and feed value chains, promoting the circular economy and the blue economy through a zero-waste-oriented strategy.

Objective. To evaluate the nutritional composition of duckweed (DW) (Lemna minor) and water hyacinth (WH) (Eichhornia crassipes) and its effect on the apparent digestibility of dry matter (%, ADDM), apparent digestibility of crude protein (%, ADCP) and the apparent digestibility of the crude lipid (%, ADCL) in the nutrition of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Material and methods. The DW and WH were used to formulate nine isoproteic (32.47%), isolipidic (5.46%) and isoenergetic (16.45 MJ kg-1) diets, with three replicates and 15 male tilapia (36.36± 1.16 g) per repetition: 0% (T0); 10% (T10); 15% (T15); 20% (T20) and 25% (T25), respectively random. A principal component analysis (PCA) was applied. Results. The crude protein (%) of the WH and the DW, were 21.72% and 27.37% (p˂0.05), respectively. Fish fed with WH and DW, up to 10 and 15% inclusion in the diet, respectively, did not show significant differences (p>0.05) for ADDM. However, for ADCP and ADCL, up to 15 and 20%, respectively, significant differences (p>0.05) were not observed. Conclusions. Water hyacinth and duckweed meals were an alternative vegetable protein source, which can partially replace soybean meal and cornmeal in tilapia diets. The PCA suggests that the control diet, 10% WH, 10-15% DW, showed the best results in terms of the apparent digestibility of the nutrients.