Growth Performance Of Juvenile Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) Using Fermented Fish Silage In The Diet

ABSTRACT

 Fish silage was prepared by fermentation of fish by-products with cassava flour. The ensilage process completed after 10 days and the fermented fish silage (FFS) investigate the effect of partial fermented fish silage (FFS) in diets of African catfish, Clarias gariepinus. Three dry pelleted diets containing FFS to replace 0, 50 and 100% of FM (on protein content basis) were prepared to be isonitrogenous (32% CP) and isocaloric (2600 kcal ME/kg diet) and tested in 3 months feeding separate trials. Juvenile catfish were (31.60 -35.40g) fed the tested diets twice daily for twelve week in triplicate group’s experiments. Results indicated that, FFS can successfully replace up to 50% of FM in. catfish diets, respectively without any significant loss in growth performance and feed utilization. The higher levels of replacement of FM by FFS 100% in catfish diets significantly reduced growth performance, feed utilization parameters as well as had significant effect on fish body composition. Apparently, parameters of catfish and this replacement reduced feed costs/kg diet. viii FFS can be used efficiently as a protein source in catfish diets to reduce feed costs for fish. From economic view, it was observed that replacing 50% ofFM by FFS in : I Ior complete replacement of fish meal (FM) by was incorporated into the experimental diets; growth trials were conducted to diets did not significantly cause adverse growth or reduce feed utilization ’