N.M. Abdulrahman1*, I.H. Al-Refaiee2, H. Ali Mutter3

1College of veterinary medicine, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimaniya, Iraq
2Ministry of Agriculture, Al- Anbar province, Iraq
3College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, Al- Anbar province, Iraq

(Manuscript received 9 July 2018; accepted for publication 31 January 2019)

Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the replacement of different levels of animal protein concentrate (APC) with a commercial dry yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in diets on common carp performance. The experiment was conducted in the fish laboratory of the Department of Animal Production, College of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sulaimani in Kurdistan region of Iraq for the period from 25.07.2015 to 15.10.2015. Starting with a period of acclimatization for 21 days, to test the efficiency of using commercial dry yeast S. cerevisiae as alternative protein source to APC used in the manufacturing of diets for common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) by using 90 fish at weights ranged 22-42g divided into 15 groups distributed randomly on 15 plastic containers by five treatments with three replicates per each variant. The treatments contain different levels of APC and yeast S. cerevisiae as follows: first treatment (Control T1): 100% APC / 0.00% yeast S. cerevisiae; second treatment (T2): 75% APC / 25% yeast S. cerevisiae; third treatment (T3): 50% APC / 50% yeast S. cerevisiae; fourth treatment (T4): 25% APC / 75% yeast S. cerevisiae and fifth treatment (T5): 0.00% APC / 100% yeast S. cerevisiae. There was no significant difference observed in the value of biological indices for some physiological organs, spleen and Hepatic pancreases and also in the value of the condition factor (CF) between carps from different treatments. The results of the chemical composition of the fish flesh showed significant difference in the moisture of individuals from T4 as compared with these from T2 and T5, T2 was significantly increased in crude protein as compared with other treatments, T5 had significant differences in fat crude as compared with other treatments, T1 and T2 were significantly different in ash as compared with other treatments, T1 was significantly different in carbohydrates as compared with other treatments. The results showed no significant differences observed among experimental treatments in Panel test of tenderness, color, juiciness, flavor and overall acceptance for fish meat.