Comparative Study of the Growth Performance of Four Commercial Fish Feeds in the Production of African Catfish
Chapter One
Aims and Objectives of The Study
The aim of this study was to determine through culture study, the best commercial fish feed for the rapid growth and survival of African catfish. The specific objectives were:
- To evaluate the growth performance of catfish fed with four different commercial fish feeds.
- To rank the performance of the four different commercial fish feeds with a view to effectively advise grass-root farmers on which one to use.
- To determine the survival rate of juvenile fed with four different commercial fish feeds.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Feeding Habits of Catfishes
Catfish species are euryphagous and generally regarded as an opportunistic, omnivorous predator. Normally catfish are bottom feeders, but their feeding habits are adaptable and they occasionally filter feed in groups at the water surface. There are four recognized feeding modes via individual foraging, individual shoveling, surface feeding and formation feeding (FAO, 2019). Vital feed is an omnivorous with predatory tendency, feeding mainly on fish, shrimps, zooplankton and higher plants (Ugwumba and Ugwumba, 2017).
Nutritional Requirement of Catfishes
The nutrition of catfish is similar to that of other animal species i.e catfish require the same nutrients as other animals for normal metabolic function (Robinson, 1991).However the specified amount of a particular nutrient needed by catfish may differ from that of other animals. Robinson, (1991) reported that requirements for catfish have generally been based on studies with small fish conducted under condition presumed to be near optimum; the requirement being based primary on weight gain and food efficiency.
Carbohydrate (energy requirement)
Carbohydrates are compounds of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen that include sugars, starch, cellulose, gums and other closely related compounds. One of the striking differences in nutrition between fish and farm animals is the amount of energy required for protein synthesis is much less for fish than for warm blooded animals (Ayinla, and Bekibele, 1992). Animal’s tissue contains small amounts of stored carbohydrate. Glucose in the blood of animals is relatively constant at 0.05% to 0.1%. Generally, glycogen stores in the liver are small, representing only about 3% to 7% of liver weight in most animals.
Carbohydrate are important dietary components as an inexpensive source of energy as precursors for various metabolic intermediates, as an aid in pelleting practical catfish feeds, and they reduce the amount of protein used for energy thereby sparing protein for growth. It would appear that the average permissible carbohydrate level is around 27 percent (FAO, 2019) and Ali (2019) suggested that Vital feed cannot utilize dietary carbohydrate levels above 35 percent. On the other hand Pantazis (2015) discovered that dietary carbohydrate levels of between 26 and 32 percent had a significant protein sparing effect, advocating the greater use of carbohydrates in catfish diet formulation.
(Robinson, 1991), also indicated that the utilization of carbohydrate by catfish appears to differ depending on the complexity of the carbohydrate starch or dextrin (partially hydrolyzed starch) are used more efficiently by catfish than are sugars such as glucose and sucrose.
A typical commercial catfish feed contains 25% or more soluble (digestible) carbohydrate, additional 3% to 6% carbohydrate is generally present as crude fibre. Fibre is considered to be indigestible by catfish; thus, it is not desirable in catfish feed because indigestible material may pollute the water. However, there is always some fibre inherent in practical feed ingredients.
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Study area
This research work was carried out in the Institute of Oceanography Fish Farm Hatchery complex, University of Calabar which is geographically located within the historic peninsula between the Calabar River and the Great Kwa River with elevation of 41 meters above sea level. This area has Latitude of 04°55.9˝N and longitude 08°26˝E respectively with a total surface area of three hectares (3Ha).
Experimental design
This research lasted for six 9 weeks and was carried out in the Hatchery complex of the Institute of Oceanography, University of Calabar where 3 ETF circular concrete tanks of area 16.63 m2 were used. The three tanks were divided into two equal parts with hard wood covered with tapeline, each giving a total of six experimental units. The six units were labelled A1, A2, A3, B1, B2 and B3 to aid triplication of the experiment. Water volume in each unit was (8.32 m3). A total of 300 post fingerlings of Vital feed of mean weight (bulk) 0.50 ± 0.00 kg (10 g for each post fingerling) were collected from the University of Calabar fish farm and stocked in each of the six experimental units (50 in each unit). The stocked fish were acclimated for seven days prior to the start of the feeding trial. During the acclimation period the fish were fed twice daily to satiation. At the start of feeding trial the acclimated fish were starved for 24 hours after which the average initial wet body weight of the fish in each experimental unit was measured using a METLAR MT-5000D electronic balance to the nearest gram (Eyo and Ekanem 2019). Fish in units A1, A2 and A3 were fed with Vital feed while (DO), pH, ammonia and temperature were measured once weekly.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Chemical analysis of feedstuff
This includes the proximate, anti-nutritional factors, macro-minerals, vitamins and amino acid profile of Vital feed, Skretting feeds, CHI feed and Multi feed.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISUSSION OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Discussion of Findings
Fish feed is a major input in fish culture business and has remained a principal constraint to fish farmers in Nigeria and other developing countries because of high cost and availability. Fish like other animals, has a requirement for essential nutrients for growth, reproduction repairs, etc. In the present study, the experimental fish responded positively to Unical feed and Vital feed as indicated in their growth performance indices (weight gain, length gain, specific growth rate, mean growth rate). Growth performance indices evaluated in the present study showed that weight gain (kg), Senna occidentalis showed higher value for carbohydrate and ash, while crude protein, moisture and crude lipid were lower when compared p the proximate composition result obtained from this work. The crude fibre reported by Umar (2016) and that of this study did not differ significantly. The difference in proximate composition observed from both studies is probably due to differences seen at inter-species level. Irwin and Barneby (1982) also gave variation at inter species levels.
The moisture content in raw and boiled seeds were higher than the values reported by Umar (2016) who reported 4.00% (raw) and 3.41% (parboiled) using seed of Senna occidentalis, Suleiman, (2016) reported that these differences could be due to the processing method used. Boiling increased the moisture content, crude protein and ash while it reduced crude fibre, carbohydrate, crude lipid and dry matter. This trend was in conformity with the work of Umar (2016).
There was no significant difference (p≥0.05) in the proximate values obtained from raw and boiled seed. The high dry matter content was similar to the value obtained from most raw seeds of legumes like Milletia purpuresus, Phaseolus aurens and Vigina sinensis (Umoren et al., 2015; Osman,2017; Mubarak, 2015; Khattab et al., 2019), this will ensure long term storage (Ingyewe et al., 2019).
The crude protein content was higher than the lower limits range and slightly the same with the upper limit range (15.52 – 20.74%) reported for Cassia hirsuta (vadivel and Janardhana, 2012), Senna occidentalis (Umar, 2016) and Afzelia africana (Obun and Ayanwale, 2018).
Differences observed could be due to the variety at inter-specie level (Ingweye et. al, 2019). The high crude protein value will enhance it replacement value for soybeans in aqua feeds. The anti-nutritional content in raw were higher than that of boiled meaning that boiling significantly reduced anti-nutritional contents in raw seed (P<0.05). Phytate was higher in raw seeds 4.16mg/100g and the least was saponin 0.96mg/100g. All anti-nutrients present were lower than those reported by Ingyewe et al. (2019), this could be suggestive that environment could be the determining factor of presence or absence of anti-nutrients in Senna obtusifolia plant as a result of plants absorbing substances from their environment such as soil and atmosphere (Ismaila et al., 2019).
Conclusions
The present study has shown significant difference (P<0.05) in growth performance and food consumed between fish fed Skretting feed and Vital feed. The implication of the result is that Vital feed can be used for raising C. gariepinus in a culture system instead of Vital without comprising their growth performances. Vital feed is more cost effective for fish farmers than Vital which is two times more expensive, moreover, Vital is an imported fish feed, while Unical feed is an indigenous feed utilizing locally available material. Vital feed is recommended for C. gariepinus production on the basis of affordability without compromising their growth performance.
Recommendations
Catfish feed formulators should maintain 20% replacement level of soybean meal for an effective utilization of Vital feed in aqua feed for Vital feed.
The replacement level of Vital feed for soybean meal should not be much for an effective growth performance, It is important to formulated aqua feed for Vital feed such that the fish meal (animal protein) should be greater in composition compared to plant protein because they are more of carnivores than omnivores for the fish to record a high specific growth rate.
Other heat treatment methods for removal of ANFs should be conducted to evaluate the most effective method for best use in wild legumes seeds.
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