Use of homeopathy to increase productivity in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) rearing

• Grant number: 14/03843-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2014
• End date: December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Vander Bruno dos Santos
• Grantee: Vinicius Vasconcelos Silva
• Host Institution: APTA Regional. Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

System of intensive cultivation is usually practiced by fish farms and it is characterized by increased stocking density of fish for maximum production. This has provided greater animals stress and when associated with inadequate management and poor water quality have resulted in a reduction in performance. The search for the best quality and feed additives that can be incorporated in order to improve animal performance have been the subject of extensive study in tilapia culture. The objective is to evaluate the influence of the homeopathic product Fator Pro Digestão Aquicultura® - Arenales in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) growth. It will be evaluated the fish performance, morphometry, carcass characteristics, yield, fat in the flesh and development of muscle and subcutaneous ventral adipose tissue. The experiment will be conducted at the Polo Alta Sorocabana - APTA. Fingerlings will be cultivated in two recirculating systems with 8 tanks of 0.25 m³ in a density of 60 fish / m³. Fish will be fed twice a day with the same specific commercial feed to each growth phas. The homeopathic product will be incorporated in the diet at a dose of 8 g / kg diet. With the growth of the animals, samples from five fish from each tank on days 0th, 60th, 120th, 180th and 240th will be made. The sampled fish will be weighed and measured in length. Performance measures such as survival, weight gain and feed conversion in each period will be determined. The exponential growth model is also adjusted for the determination and comparison of growth rates. At the end of the experiment, morphometric measurements from the body, the viscerossomatic index (SVI) and hepatosomatic (HSI), carcass characteristics, fillet yield and fat content will be evaluated. It will also be evaluated muscle fibers and ventral subcutaneous adipocytes as the characterization of hypertrophy and hyperplasia. The experimental design is completely randomized design with two treatments (control group and the group treated with the homeopathic product) and 8 replications (tanks), using data from three fish in each tank.