Nutritional Evaluation of Animal By-Products Meal as PartialSubstitute for Fishmeal in the Diet of African Catfish, Clariasgariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Abstract

The effects of substituting fishmeal with Animal By-products Meal (ABM) in six experimental diets for African catfish fingerlings, Clarias gariepinus (meanweight=2.05g±0.11) with 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100% substitution were investigated for 70 days. In general, the best growth and feeding performance were obtained with a control diet (D1) based on fishmeal as the sole protein, but he result was not statistically different (P>0.05) from those obtained with 20%, 40%, and 60% ABM inclusion. A significant (P<0.05) growth depression was observed with diet treatments containing 80%, and 100% ABM inclusion. Whole body percentages of moisture, lipid, ash, and NFE were not significantly affected by the dietary treatments. Crude protein contents however, were highest for fish fed higher levels of dietary protein. The result of this study suggest that 60% ABM/40% fishmeal can be incorporated in the diet of African catfish without adversely affecting growth or any other aspect of performance, and as well as, improving the economics of feeding in comparison with fishmeal.