GROWTH RESPONSE AND APPARENT DIGESTIBILITY BY THE AFRICAN CATFISH CLARIAS GARIEPINUS (BURCHELL 1822) JUVENILES FED PRACTICAL DIETS USING PLANT PROTEIN AS REPLACEMENT FOR FISH MEAL

• S. B. Salami

  Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

  Author

• O. A. Fagbenro

  Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

  Author

• O. K. Gbadamosi

  Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

  Author

This study was conducted to evaluate the growth response and apparent nutrient digestibility of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) juveniles fed iso-proteic practical diets (40% crude protein) containing fish meal and blood meal with one of palm kernel cake (PKC), soybean meal (SBM) or cottonseed meal (CSM) as replacement for fishmeal (control diet). The diets were fed to C. gariepinus juveniles in rectangular glass tanks at 5% body weight/day for 90 days. Growth response, feed utilization and apparent digestibility of nutrients were assessed. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in fish weight gain and specific growth rate. Fish fed CSM-diet had the highest weight gain (146.11±2.94g) and SGR (2.65±0.36). There was significant difference (P<0.05) in the feed efficiency ratio (FER), protein intake (PI) and protein efficiency ratio (PER). Fish fed CSM-diet had the highest FER, PER and PI. The lowest FCR (0.98±0.01) was obtained in fish fed CSM-diet while the highest FCR (1.41±0.01) was obtained in fish fed PKC-diet. Faeces were collected by sedimentation and apparent digestibility coefficients were calculated using Acid Insoluble Ash (AIA) as an external indicator. Protein digestibility was (76-89%), ash digestibility was 31-78%, lipid digestibility was 78.98-88.40%. The results showed that the CSM-diet was better utilized, thus indicating that soybean and cotton seed meals can be used to substitute fish meal in African catfish feed.

1. S. B. Salami, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

   Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

2. O. A. Fagbenro, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

   Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

3. O. K. Gbadamosi, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

   Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria Corresponding E-mail: blessingsilvert

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