Growth Performance and Nutrient Utilization of African Catfish Fed Yeast Fermented Shrimp Head Meal in Replacement for Fish Meal

Abstract

Abstract

Yeast fermented shrimp head meal was used to replace the more expensive fish meal (FM) to reduce costs of production and improve the profit margin. Shrimp head waste was fermented with yeast for 24 hours and used to replace FM at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40% making up five treatments The diets were fed to fingerlings of C. gariepinus (5.61±0.04g) to apparent satiation for 70 days. The results showed that the growth performance of fish fed diet of 100% fish meal and the groups fed diets containing 10%, 20%, 30% fermented shrimp head waste meal was not statistically significant (P>0.05) with 30% replacement level having the best performance. The growth performance showed a declining trend with the fish fed diet containing 40% of the shrimp head meal. However, replacement of fish meal with the shrimp head waste meal did not affect the blood profile (P>0.05) of the fish. Differences in the carcass amino acid levels were marginal indicating that physiological functions might not have been compromised. In conclusion, yeast fermented shrimp head meal can replace up to 30% of FM in the diets of African catfish while the optimal level of replacement is 20% as indicated by the regression analysis.