Date: 13/06/2025

In Brazil and worldwide, tilapia farming occupies an important position in the aquaculture chain. In 2023, national production exceeded 550,000 tons, consolidating the country as one of the main global producers of the species, according to Peixe BR.

This advance is supported by factors such as adaptability to intensive farming, efficient feed conversion, and high market demand, which increases the need for nutritionally adjusted diets to maximize zootechnical performance.

Among the key nutrients for positive nutritional results, protein stands out as a fundamental agent in tissue building and maintenance, metabolism support, and physiological function regulation. However, more than meeting nutritional requirements in quantitative terms, it is necessary to consider the quality of the protein source, its digestibility, and the balance between available amino acids.

In this article, we discuss the main challenges related to protein nutrition in tilapia, the criteria for using proteins to choose the most efficient ingredients, and the role of BioActio Efficiency as a strategic option for safer, more functional, and productivity-oriented feed.

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Zootechnical performance and key nutritional challenges in tilapia farming

Tilapia farming can be optimized through nutritional strategies focused on achieving good feed conversion rates, batch standardization, and efficient growth.

As one of the most widely farmed species in global aquaculture, Nile tilapia stands out for its rapid growth rate, adaptability to different farming conditions, and good carcass yield (Kaushik et al., 1995; Furuya et al., 2004a).

However, achieving maximum productive performance of this species depends on a technically balanced nutritional supply, especially with regard to proteins and their derivatives.

Fish do not have a requirement for specific proteins, but rather for a balance between essential and non-essential amino acids in their diet (Wilson, 2002). This requirement is crucial because, of the more than 200 known amino acids, only 20 make up body proteins, 10 of which are considered essential for fish, meaning they must be present in the diet in a bioavailable form (NRC, 2011; Craig, 2017).

This metabolic characteristic makes the efficient use of amino acids even more important, since, in addition to being used in the construction of tissues such as striated muscle, which can represent up to 70% of the fish's body weight (Camargo, 2004), they are also essential for meeting basic energy demands. This is because amino acids are used both in the construction of tissues, such as muscles, and in supplying energy to cells. For example, tilapia uses protein as its main source of energy, due to its low energy requirements compared to homeothermic animals.

However, the use of ingredients with low biological value or antinutritional factors can compromise this utilization. In this scenario, the choice of protein sources may be more assertive when taking into account digestibility, sensory attractiveness, amino acid composition, and industrial stability. These points are fundamental to ensuring efficient growth, reducing nitrogen excretion, and optimizing the use of nutrients in all production phases.

Use of proteins in tilapia diets

More than just providing the right amount of crude protein, a highly acceptable and high-performance feed formulation for tilapia requires attention to the quality of the ingredients used.

The zootechnical performance of the species is directly related to the quality of the protein provided, its amino acid profile, digestibility, and ability to meet the specific requirements of each stage of cultivation.

A well-formulated feed should contain an amino acid profile close to that considered ideal for the species, i.e., one that reflects the protein composition of the fish's own organism (Furuya, 2005; Furuya, 2013).

This concept, known as ideal protein, refers to a mixture of essential amino acids with total availability for digestion and metabolism, at levels adequate for production and maintenance. This strategy favors more efficient protein deposition by animals and reduces the loss of nutrients through excretion (Parsons; Barker, 1994).

In addition, digestibility and absorption efficiency are influenced by the protein source and ingredient processing, since ingested proteins need to be rapidly hydrolyzed, absorbed as peptides or amino acids, and distributed to body tissues (Lima et al., 2015).

The choice of protein ingredients must also take into account consistency between batches and product stability over time, which contributes to predictability in field results and greater technical safety in formulation.

In this reasoning, in intensive systems, the sensory attractiveness of the feed plays a strategic role, because ingredients with better olfactory and gustatory response favor spontaneous consumption, especially in phases of greater sensitivity such as post-larvae and rearing.

Therefore, considering the selection of high-efficiency proteins is not limited to the numerical value of crude protein content, but involves a set of technical criteria that directly impact growth, feed conversion, and production sustainability.

BioActio Efficiency: ingredient that provides proven zootechnical performance for tilapia

BRF Ingredients, focused on strengthening the zootechnical performance of fish at different stages of cultivation, has developed BioActio Efficiency, a functional protein ingredient based on chicken feathers.

Produced through enzymatic hydrolysis, Feather Enzymatic Hydrolysate offers a strategic combination of bioactive peptides with high digestibility, a balanced amino acid profile, and excellent cost-effectiveness for aquaculture formulations.

Its composition has a balanced amino acid profile, with coefficients above 94% for essential amino acids such as tryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and valine.

The combination of solubility, bioavailability, and low molecular weight peptides allows for rapid intestinal absorption and efficient metabolic utilization, meeting the requirements of the species and contributing to greater digestibility and conversion into muscle mass.

The performance of Feather Enzymatic Hydrolysate was evaluated in in vivo tests conducted by the Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná (UNIOESTE). In post-larvae fed diets containing 2% BioActio Efficiency, a 41% increase in weight gain was observed, in addition to a 42% improvement in specific growth rate and a 31% improvement in feed conversion compared to the control group. In fingerlings, weight gain was 25% higher, with a 23% increase in final weight and an 18% improvement in feed conversion. In both phases, the results are associated with the high digestibility of the ingredient (89%) and its functional value.

Final considerations

The nutritional formulation of tilapia feed requires more than just providing adequate levels of crude protein. It is necessary to evaluate the quality of the protein source based on criteria such as digestibility, amino acid composition, industrial stability, and ability to promote consistent metabolic responses at different stages of cultivation.

As production systems become more intensive and detailed, the predictability of zootechnical results depends directly on the standardization of raw materials and their biological performance. To ensure good results, ingredients with high intestinal utilization, low antinutritional potential, and an adequate functional profile favor the efficient use of amino acids, optimizing muscle growth, reducing metabolic losses, and minimizing the excretion of nitrogen compounds.

Based on these principles, BioActio Efficiency was developed as a protein solution with high digestibility, wide availability of amino acids, and validated performance under practical farming conditions. According to studies, the inclusion of this ingredient in tilapia diets promotes significant gains in weight gain, growth rate, and feed efficiency, contributing to sustainability and competitiveness in fish farming.

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