Evaluation of Farm-Made Feeds for Feeding Growers of the African Catfish, Clarias Gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Abstract

The growth and economic performance of Clarias gariepinus growers (average weight 305.28±2.30g) to farm made feed was evaluated and compared to that of a reference feed (GRD, 6mm Coppens feed). Three farm-made diets were prepared using differently processed soybean with broiler starter feed and bovine blood meal. These were: toasted soybean blend (G1); cracked and cooked soybean blend (G2); and autoclaved soybean blend (G3). The diets were formulated at 38% crude protein level and used to feed the fish. Each treatment was replicated thrice and the experiment lasted for 70 days. The results showed that Fish fed GRD had the best growth rate with SGR of 0.498±0.08, FCR of 1.358±0.25 and PER of 2.299±0.57 followed by the fish fed G1, with SGR of 0.301±0.03, FCR of 2.338±0.26 and PER of 1.891±0.20 while fish fed G3 had the least growth rate with SGR of 0.249±0.03, FCR of 2.879±0.32 and PER of 1.537±0.17. However, the result of the economic evaluation showed that fish fed G1 had the best economic performance with PI of 1.58 and IC of 0.51, followed by the fish fed GRD with PI of 1.50 and IC of 0.53, and the least performance was in fish fed G3 with PI of 1.04 and IC of 0.77.

For profit maximization, G1 which had the best economic performance, with growth rate next to GRD, is considered best for feeding Clarias gariepinus growers.