Evaluation of Some Under-Utilized Protein Feedstuffs in Diets of <em>Clarias Gariepinus (Burchell</em>, 1822) Fingerlings

Abstract

Five iso-nitrogenous (P = 35%) diets were formulated and fed to Clarias gariepinus fingerlings for nine weeks in outdoor cistern to evaluate the potentials or otherwise of the use of some non-conventional protein sources in diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings. Diets composition were, Diet 1 Control (groundnut cake and fish meal) Diet 2 (soybean and fish meal) Diet 3 (cotton seed cake, blood meal and fish meal; Diet 4 Consists of soya bean meal, cotton seed cake, palm kernel meal, brewers yeast, blood meal and fish meal) and diet 5: (soybean, groundnut cake, cotton seed cake, blood meal, palm kernel meal, brewer’s yeast and fish meal). Fingerlings fed diets 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 recorded specific growth rate of 1.67, 2.06, 2.58, 2.34 and 2.08 respectively. Feed gain ratio values 3.54, 2.82, 2.03, 2.49 and 2.77 and protein efficiency ratio 0.80, 1.01, 1.49, 1.15 and 1.03 respectively. Means weight gain (g) on the other hand were 6.77, 9.12, 11.02, 9.98 and 8.73 respectively. At the end of the feeding trial it was observed that the non-conventional protein source diets gave better results than the control diet containing fish meal and groundnut cake as sources of protein. However, blood meal and brewer’s yeast showed tremendous potential in formulation of cheap and efficient diets for Clarias gariepinus, when included at appropriate proportions. 

Keywords: Feedstuffs, protein, Clarias gariepinus, fingerlings, fish