ACORN MEAL AS A PELLET BINDER AND ITS EFFECTS ON CHEMICAL CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS IN RAINBOW TROUT (ONCORHYNCHUS MYKISS)

A complete random design involving four diets was conducted to determine the effects of acorn meal as a pellet binder and pellet stabilizer and to assess its effects on chemical carcass characteristic of Rainbow Trout. Juvenile rainbow trout with an average weight of 74 grams were reared after application of antiseptic processes in Boldaji station of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province for 135 days. The diets 1-4 were formulated such that they contained 0, 2, 4 and 6 percent acorn meal, respectively.
In doing so, we considered nutritive requirements of rainbow trout based on NRC using UFFDA dietary software. We also used local material in providing the diets. The feed was given three times a day the amount of which was based on fish biomass in each pound. In the end of the experiments and after 24 hours of fasting, 10 fish from each pound were randomly sampled. Chemical carcass characteristic were determined using AOAC procedure after the gut, internal organs, head and fins were removed. Pellet stability was also determined. Chemical carcass characteristics for the four treatments were nearly the same except for the ash (P>0.05).The least pellet stability was in control diet which had no acorn meal and the highest was in diet containing 6% acorn meal (P<0.05).The results showed that acorn meal can be used as a pellet binder which improves pellet stability while having no significant effect on carcass chemical characteristics and physiology of the fish.