Journal Article

Growth Performance and Survival Rate of Heterobranchus bidorsalis Fed Diets Containing Graded Levels of Locust (Kraussaria angulifera) Meal

Yusuf, M.K., Liman, A.B. and Ahmed, M.E.

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the Center for Applied Science and Technology Research (CASTER), Biochemistry Laboratory unit, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria in year 2017. 120 juveniles of Heterobranchus bidorsalis juveniles were used for the experiment and were allocated into four treatments with triplicates (30 juveniles per treatment and ten juveniles per replicate). The study was conducted to evaluate the growth performance and survival rate of Heterobranchus bidorsalis fed diets containing graded levels of locust meal for 56 days. Four experimental diets were formulated at graded levels of inclusion Control T1 (100% fish meal diet), T2 (20% locust meal diet), T3 (40% locust meal diet) and T4 (60% locust meal diet) respectively. Twelve experimental culturing tanks of 60x 45x 30cm were used. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine difference between the treatments, were differences existed, they were separated with Duncan multiple range test (DMRT) AT 0.05% according to procedure of steel and Torrie (1980).The research findings based on the growth performance and survival rate parameters which include feed conversion ratio, relative growth rate, specific growth rate, total body length, mean weight gain, survival and mortality showed significant differences (P< 0.05) except the mortality rate and survival rate had no significant difference (P> 0.05). The growth parameters measured during this study showed that, diets with inclusion levels of locust meal (T4 and T3) were utilized with better specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, although T4 was the best on the overall. All the graded levels (T2, T3 and T4) of diets containing locust meal performed better than the 0% level of inclusion. These indicate that locust meal could be substituted with fish meal without negative effect on the fish..

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