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Abstract

In Mexico, the culture of tilapia has developed in rural areas, where the main problem is low producer income. The state of Yucatan also experiences this situation, and scarcity of money needed to purchase inputs results in complementary feeding with chaya (Cnidoscolus chayamansa), whose leaves are edible for humans and animals. In this situation, CINVESTAV conducted experiments to determine the optimal level of substitution of balanced feed with ray chaya leaves. The test with 25% and 50% reduced balanced feed complemented with chaya (ad libitum) did not show significant differences (P>0.05) in growth compared to fishes fed with a complete ration of balanced feed (100% feed table). A bioeconomic model was developed, including a submodel of growth according to observed results in each test. The model was developed in Excel, considering economic and management components. In addition, the analysis was completed using the Marginal Rate of Technical Substitution (MRTS) to evaluate cost minimization. According to the MRTS results, it is necessary to add 2.4 units of chaya for each reduced unit of balanced feed, in order to maintain the same level of production. Substituting 50% of the recommended ration (feed table) with chaya resulted in lower production costs, generating profit maximization.

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