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Partial substitution of fish meal with soybean and cottonseed meals in diets for African bonytongue, Heterotis niloticus (Cuvier, 1829) fingerlings: effects on growth, feed efficiency and body composition
Author(s) -
Monentcham SergeEric,
Kouam Jean,
Chuba Didier,
Wathelet Bernard,
Pouomogne Victor,
Kestemont Patrick
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2109.2009.02461.x
Subject(s) - cottonseed meal , biology , fish meal , soybean meal , feed conversion ratio , zoology , meal , composition (language) , dry matter , cottonseed , food science , fish <actinopterygii> , body weight , fishery , ecology , endocrinology , raw material , linguistics , philosophy
A feeding trial was conducted to examine the suitability of soybean meal (SBM) and cottonseed meal (CSM) as a partial substitute for the dietary protein supplied by fish meal for H. niloticus fingerlings. Fish were fed with four isonitrogenous (350 g kg −1 crude protein) and isoenergetic (18.8 kJ g −1 GE) diets in which fish meal protein was gradually replaced by plant protein from a mixture of SBM and CSM (0%, 25%, 50% and 75% in diets 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively). Triplicate groups of fingerlings H. niloticus (mean weight of 5 g) were handfed twice daily to apparent satiation for 60 days inside net hapas. Growth performances (SGR varied from 3.09% to 3.16% day −1 ) of fingerlings fed diets containing 0%, 25% and 50% plant protein were not significantly different ( P >0.05). At 75% fish meal substitution, growth and feed utilization efficiency indicators were significantly reduced ( P <0.05). The carcass composition were also significantly ( P <0.05) affected by the replacement level of fish meal, except dry matter and ash. Results suggest that the dietary fish meal protein could efficiently be substituted by a mixture of soybean and cottonseed meals up to 50%, without adverse effects on maximal growth in practical diets for H. niloticus fingerlings.