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 |
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| Authors: | Serge‐Eric Monentcham Jean Kouam Didier Chuba Bernard Wathelet Victor Pouomogne Patrick Kestemont |
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| Institution: | 1. Unit of Research in Organismal Biology, University of Namur (FUNDP), Namur, Belgium;2. Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries, Yaoundé, Cameroon;3. Unit of Industrial Chemistry Biology, Agricultural University, Gembloux, Belgium;4. Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Aquaculture Unit, Foumban, Cameroon |
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| Abstract: | 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. |
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| Keywords: | Heterotis niloticus fish meal substitution soybean meal cottonseed meal growth |
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