Substitution of Fish Meal with Shea Nut Meal in Diets of Nile Tilapia Fry on Growth, Feed Utilization, Tissue Histology and Economic Analysis
Substitution of Fish Meal with Shea Nut Meal in Diets of Nile Tilapia Fry on Growth, Feed Utilization, Tissue Histology and Economic Analysis
Mensah Gertrude Dzifa1, Christian Larbi Ayisi2,* and Elliot Haruna Alhassan1
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of substituting fish meal with shea meal in diet of Oreochromis niloticus fry on growth, feed efficiency as well as proximate composition of the whole body. In addition, the effects of the diets on liver histology were studied. Three experimental diets were formulated to contain shea meal as a substitute for fish meal at 0%, 25% and 50%. The diets were designated as SNM0, SNM 25 and SNM 50 to reflect the inclusion level of shea meal. Two hundred fry of O. niloticus (initial weight of 0.82g) were obtained from Water Research Institute of Ghana (WA center) and transported to the Spanish Laboratory of University for Development Studies where they were acclimatized for two weeks. The fry were then stocked in 60 litre bowls (50 cm X 40 cm X 40 cm) at a density of 20 fry per bowl. The results show that substituting fish meal with shea meal affects final weight, weight gain, final length and specific growth rate significantly. The highest final mean weight (8.09±0.37g) was recorded in fish fed SNM 25 whilst the least (5.71±0.54g) was recorded in fish fed SNM 50. SGR (%) was significantly different amongst the three experimental diets (p<0.05). Feed conversion ratio was significantly different amongst treatment (p<0.05) and ranged between 1.33 (SNM25) and 1.90 (SNM 50). Whole body lipid content of fish fed SNM 0 was significantly higher than fish fed SNM 25. All other groups were not significantly different. The mean lipid content for fish fed SNM 0, SNM 25 and SNM 50 were 9.54, 8.44 and 9.31 respectively. The economic conversion ratio (ECR) recorded for this ratio was significantly different amongst treatments and ranged between 4.42±0.04 to 6.19±0.14. Overall, the findings indicate that shea nut meal can be used as a substitute for fish meal up to 25% without negative effects on growth and feed utilization in O. niloticus.
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