REPLACEMENT VALUE OF NEEM (AZADIRACHTA INDICA) SEED CAKE FOR SOYA BEAN MEAL IN THE DIET OF AFRICAN CATFISH CLARIAS GARIEPINUS FINGERLINGS

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Date
2014-06
Authors
HASSAN B, Mohammed
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Abstract
One of the critical problems facing aquaculture development in Nigeria is high cost of protein rich fish feeds. The present study investigated the nutritional suitability and cost effectiveness of Azadirachta indica seed cake as alternative protein source to soya bean meal in the diet of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus).The neem seed cake was processed using water washed method to reduce the bitterness and toxicity of the cake. Diets, containing the neem seed cake meals at T1 (0%), T2 (9.62%), T3 (17.35%), T4(28.58%) and T5 (commercial feed) were formulated to be isonitrogenous (40%Cp)) and fed to triplicate groups of 10 fingerlings (averaged initial weight 6.5g) of C. gariepinus for a period of eight (8) weeks. Proximate analysis showed that raw and processed neem seed cake had 25.38% and 31.87% crude protein, respectively. Analysis of anti nutritional factors showed that tannin, phytate, saponin and oxalate were significantly (P<0.05) reduced by 50.8%, 51.4%, 56.25% and 88%, respectively, after processing of the cake. Growth performance and nutrient utilization parameters indicate that treatment1 (control) gave the best weight gain (23.24g) but did not significantly (p>0.05) differ from treatment2 (9.62%WNSC) 20.80g and the lowest weight gain (16.63g) was recorded in treatment4(28.58% WNSC). Similarly, the highest specific growth rate (0.024g/d) was recorded in T1(control) followed by T2 (9.62%WNSC) which had 0.023g/d) and the lowest value (0.021g/d) was obtained in T4(28.58WNSC). Nutrient utilization indicates that highest feed intake by fish (30.72g) was recorded in T1 and significantly (p<0.05) reduced (25.66g) at T4(28.58%WNSC). However, protein efficiency ratio (PER), net protein utilization (NPU) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not significantly different (p>0.05) among the dietary treatments. The highest (1.88) and the lowest (1.6) were recorded in T1 (control) and T4 (28.58%WNSC), respectively. Best net vii protein utilization (100%) and the lowest (87%) were obtained in T5 and T3, respectively. The highest feed conversion ratio (1.53) and the lowest (1.29) were obtained in T4 and T1 respectively. Cost benefit analysis showed that T4 had the lowest cost per kilogram of diet (199.99) and highest profit index (4.13) while T5 recorded the highest cost per kilogram of feed (450) with correspondingly lowest profit index (1.16). The result recommended that soya bean protein can be replaced by WNSC from 9.62% to 28.58% levels in diet of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) without compromising fish growth performance and cost of production. This will reduce the high cost of catfish production.
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THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN FISHERIES. DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, FACULTY OF SCIENCE AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA NIGERIA JUNE, 2014
Keywords
REPLACEMENT,, VALUE,, NEEM (AZADIRACHTA INDICA), SEED CAKE,, SOYA BEAN,, DIET,, AFRICAN CATFISH,, CLARIAS GARIEPINUS FINGERLINGS
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