Nutritive Value of the Carcass of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822) Fingerlings fed at Different Frequencies

Abstract

The experiment on African catfish Clarias gariepinus fingerlings 3.55±0.01g average weight and 4.09±0.05cm average length, was to know the effect of feeding frequencies on the nutritive value on the carcass, the were fed with commercial feed (Coppens) of 58% crude protein level at 5% body weight, once (at 11:00 am), twice (9:00am and 4:00pm), thrice (9:00am, 1:00pm and 4:00pm), and four times (9:00am, 11:00am, 1:00pm and 4:00pm), daily to satiation for 14 weeks. The Mean Feed Consumption show that Treatment D had the highest total feed consumption of 54.10g, while the lowest feed consumption value of 43.20g was noted Treatment A which was the fish fed once per day. The mean proximate composition of the fish carcass show that crude protein was highest in Treatment D with 62.78±0.22, while Treatment A had the least with 54.72±0.02. Moisture content show that Treatment C had the highest with 11.86±0.14, while Treatment A had the least with 7.80±0.01. Ash content show that Treatment A had the highest with 6.90±0.22, while Treatment D had 1.08±0.63, which was the least. Crude lipid show that Treatment B had the highest with 11.78±0.17, while Treatment C had the least, with 9.24±0.33. The study suggests that body the composition of African catfish fingerlings is affected by the frequency of feeding.The results on feed utilization suggests that C. gariepinus fingerlings should be fed at four times per day for maximum growth and better survival.