Feeding experiment was conducted in enclosure nets (100 X 100 X 100 cm
in diameter) to assay partial and total substitution 0 f Inedible dried dropping dates
(1000) without kemels instead of yellow com for blue tilapia Oeochromis aureus (11.5
glfish). Five isonitrogenous diets (30 % crude protein) were formulated with different
substitution levels of 0.25,50,75 and 100 % 1000. The experimental diets were fed
to duplicate groups of fish at a feeding rate of 2.5 % of body weight. The experiment
lasted for fourteen weeks starting at 1'1 August. The results indicated that the chemical
composition of 1000 was almost similar to yellow com. The higher values of growth
performance, feed intake, protein efficiency ratio and carcass crude protein were
recorded by fish received diets contained 1000 up to 50 % from yellow com.
Meanwhile, the higher values of feed conversion, protein productive value, carcass
dry matter content and gross energy were recorded by fish received diets contained
1000 25 %. With increasing the level of 1000 in the diet; energy utilization and ether
extract decreased while carcass ash Increased comparing to the control diet.
Economically, with increa~ing the inclusion of 1000 in the diet the cosVKg fish gain
decreased. Finally the study suggested that 1000 could replace up to 50 % of yellow
corn in the diet of blue til apia without any retardation in either growth performance or
feed utilization.