Nutritional Characterization of Raw Materials with Alternative Applications for the Feeding of Oreochromis Niloticus.

Contextualization: Fish farming has rapidly grown in Colombia, representing 3.3% of the agricultural GDP, with an emphasis on freshwater fishing of species such as tilapia, cachama, and trout. This growth drives the demand for balanced food and the search for alternative ingredients to enhance the profitability of fish farms through efficient and sustainable diets. Knowledge gap: The steady and rapid growth of fish production at the national and departmental levels has increased the demand for balanced food, impacting production costs, which can account for up to 70% of the total. This necessitates the search for products that can meet the nutritional needs of fish through the inclusion of alternative ingredients. Purpose: Analyze the nutritional composition of 14 alternative raw materials including plant materials and by-products, present in the Lengupá Province, for Tilapia feeding Methodology: The study was conducted in the Lengupá Province, covering an area of 1645 km², including municipalities such as Miraflores, Páez, Campohermoso, Zetaquira, Berbeo, San Eduardo, and Rondón. Fourteen raw materials (Manihot esculenta, Colocasia esculenta, Morus spp, Sambucus nigra, Tithonia diversifolia, Arracacia xanthorrhiza, Arachis pintoi, Plukenetia volubilis, Theobroma cacao, Coffea arabica, Glycine max, Zea mays, Palm Kernel, Oryza sativa) were selected for nutritional composition analysis through bromatological analysis, determining moisture content, dry matter, ash, ether extract, crude protein, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, gross energy, calcium, and phosphorus.Principio del formulario Results and conclusions: Variations were found in fiber, protein, fat, minerals, and energy content among the plant species, with Manihot esculenta having the highest protein content (22.66%) and energy (4574 cal/g). Thus, it could be considered to reduce traditional sources in fish diet formulation. Agricultural by-products were also compared, with Glycine max standing out as a protein leader (46.33%) and Plukenetia volubilis cake as an important energy source (5386.6 cal/g). Therefore, the evaluated sources could be used in formulating diets meeting the nutritional requirements of tilapia, considering aspects such as digestibility and nutrient balance.