Effects of sesame seed meal and bambaranut meal on growth, feed utilization and body composition of juvenile African catfish Clarias gariepinus

Plant proteins are plausible fishmeal substitutes but are deficient in some essential amino acids (EAA) like lysine and methionine. Combination of different plant proteins with complimentary EAA could be a useful alternative. Bambaranut (Voandzeia subterranea) contains high amount of lysine while methionine is in sesame seed (Sesamum indicum). This experiment tested effects of combining sesame seed meal (SSM) and bambaranut meal (BNM) on juvenile African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Inclusion levels (%) of SSM:BNM in four novel diets were feed 1 (F1) 0:35, feed 2 (F2) 11.7:23.3, feed 3 (F3) 23.3:11.7, feed 4 (F4) 35:0. Catfish (initial weight ± SD 11.7 ± 0.56 g) were stocked in four replicate 15L glass aquaria at 20 fish tank^-1. Final weight and specific growth rate (SGR) were significantly higher for catfish fed F2, F3 and F4 (SGR treatment means varying between 8.34 - 8.67% day^-1) than for F1 (7.60 ± 0.27% day^-1), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) significantly lower for F2, F3 and F4 (0.71-0.73) than for F1 (0.8 ± 0.04). Catfish fed F1 had higher body water and lower lipid and protein content than fish in the other treatments. Protein efficiency ratio was similarly higher for catfish fed F2, F3, F4 than F2 and F1. The cost kg^-1 of diet production increased with inclusion of SSM justifying reduction of SSM in the mixture. Results indicate that SSM and BNM alone or in combination are good plant proteins. Diets of SSM-BNM-FM were similar to SSM-FM. Inclusions of SSM increased body lipid than BNM

The Probiotics, Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in Diets of Clarias gariepinus Improve Feed Utilization and Growth

The study evaluated effects of incorporating different proportions of probiotics, Lactobacillus acidophilus (LAC) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SAC) in diets of Clarias gariepinus for improved growth and feed utilization. Six isonitrogenous (34% protein) diets were compounded with varying probiotic inclusion ratios (LAC: SAC) as followed: F1 (0:25%); F2 (25:0%); F3 (15:10%); F4 (10:15%); F5 (5:20%) and F6 (12.5:12.5%). The diets were mixed, preconditioned and steam pelleted at 100oC. Fish (average weight 35.16 ± 2.32g) were stocked at 15 fish per 80-liter aquarium tank and fed the experimental diets ad libitum for 60 days. Results showed that catfish fed with F2 (25% LAC and 0% SAC) had the best feed conversion ratio of 1.72±0.04, specific growth rate, 5.00±0.24 %/day, average weight gain 19.13±0.04g, final weight 56.46±0.08g and protein efficiency ratio of 0.59±0.02. Fish fed F1 (25% SAC and 0% LAC) achieved about half the growth and nutritional parameters of those fed diet F2. Growth performance increased with increasing inclusion level of LAC. However, fish fed F6 had a better specific growth rate than other mixtures except for those in F2 group. It could be inferred that reduced inclusion of SAC seemed beneficial to catfish. Keywords: Probiotics, lactic acid bacteria, yeast, gut microbiome, African catfis

Substitution of fishmeal with solid-state fermented pigeon pea and effects on growth and gut microbiomes of Nile Tilapia

Solid state fermented pigeon pea meal (FPP) was used in substituting fish meal (FM) in diets of Oreochromis niloticus. Five diets varying in inclusion levels of FM: FPP as followed: Feed 1, 250:50; Feed 2, 200:100; Feed 3, 150:150; Feed 4, 100:200 and Feed 5, 50:250 were made. A commercial feed (Feed 6), was used as a control. Triplicate groups of tilapia fingerling were stocked in plastic aquaria at six fish per unit and fed ad libitum for 60days. Results showed that specific growth rate (SGR) of tilapia fed Feed 5 (2.60±0.12% day-1) was better (p<0.05) than those recorded in Feed 1 (2.36±.07 % day-1). Similarly, food conversion ratio (FCR) (1.13±0.01) and mean weight gain (60.00±0.04g) were higher (p<0.05) in Feed 5 when compared with those in Feed 1 where FCR was 1.19±0.02 and MWG (50.96±0.04g). The results of Aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) decreased with increasing inclusion level of FPP. Gut microbial load increased with increasing level of FPP. The fish group fed Feed 5 had the highest foregut (2.60 x 10-5 CFU/ml), midgut (3.98 x 10-5 CFU/ml) and hindgut (4.52 x 10-5 CFU/ml) micrbiota. In general, gut microbiomes were dominated by cellulose and carbohydrate utilizing bacteria: Citrobacter fruendi, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Inference from the study revealed that O. niloticus was able to utilize the diets due to the presence of probiotics in them

Influence of processing methods on shelf life and nutritional quality of Clarias gariepinus fillets

The study evaluated effects of different processing methods (charcoal smoking, electric and gas drying) on proximate composition and stability status in fillets of Clarias gariepinus. The stability indices were evaluated after 60-days storage of the processed fish. Standard methods were employed in all the analyses. The results showed that electric-dried fillets recorded the highest protein content (16.97±0.12%), the lowest water activity (0.49±0.05mg/100g), the highest water resumption (60%) at room temperature and the lowest TVB-N value of 5.0±0.01mg/100g. Proximate analysis revealed that smoked fillets had the lowest protein content of 11.30±0.08%, the highest lipid (6.99±0.15%), the highest water activity 0.71±0.14 and the lowest water resumption at room temperature (36.5%). Fish fillets processed with gas oven had intermediate values of various indices tested when compared with other methods. Keywords: Smoking, electric drying, gas drying, shelf life, proximate compositio