Effect of co-dried silage from fish market waste as substitute for fish meal on the growth of the Indian major carp Labeo rohita (Hamilton, 1822) fingerlings

Abstract

Silage prepared by acid digestion of wastes from fish market and co-dried with rice bran was used as ingredient in experimental diet for rohu ( Labeo rohita ) fingerlings as source of animal protein by partial or complete replacement of fish meal. Four isonitrogenous and isocaloric diets were formulated replacing 0, 50, 75 and 100% of fish meal (FM) by fish silage co-dried with rice bran (CFS). The results of the study for six weeks indicated that, the control group that was fed with feed (0% replacement) made from FM showed highest weight increment with lower feed conversion ratio (FCR) and higher specific growth rate followed by the group fed diet made with 50% replacement of fish meal by CFS. The specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio between 100% and 50% FM-based diets were not significantly different (p<0.05), whereas it was significantly low (p>0.05) with 0% and 25% FM-based diets. The replacement of 50% FM by CFS in L. rohita fingerlings diets did not significantly affect the growth and feed utilisation parameters. Whereas, the higher replacing levels of FM by CFS (75 or 100%) in diets significantly (p<0.05) reduced the growth and feed utilisation parameters