Effect of totally or partially replacing fish meal by alternative protein sources on growth of African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) reared in concrete tanks

Abstract

A 12-week feeding trial was carried out in concrete tanks to examine complete and partial replacement (75%) of fish meal (FM) with poultry by-product meal (PBM), meat and bone meal (MBM) and soybean meal (SBM) in practical feeds forAfrican catfish Clarias gariepinus. Triplicate groups of fish (initial body weight ranged from 90.33 to 93.93 g fish¯1) were fed seven isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets of 20% digestible protein and 300 kcal100 g1of digestible energy. The control contained 25% herring meal, whereas in the other six diets, PBM, MBM and SBM replaced 75% or 100% of the FM. Final body weight (FBW) and specific growth rate (SGR) of the fish fed diets containing PBM (75% and 100%), SBM (75% and 100%) and MBM (75%) were all higher, but not significantly di¡erent than those for fish fed the control diet. Replacing 100% of the FM by MBM significantly lowered FBW and SGR. Concerning whole body composition, there were no significant di¡erences in ash and gross energy content of whole-body among fish; fish fed diets containing PBM-100% recorded significantly lower protein content compared with the control diet, while fish fed diet SBM-100% recorded significantly lower moisture content compared with the control diet. Also fish fed diets SBM- 100% and PBM-75% recorded higher lipid and gross energy contents compared with the control diet. The study revealed that satisfactory growth and feed utilization responses could be achieved through the replacement of FM by PBM, SBM and MBM in the diet of African catfish.