Efficacy of co-fermented vegetable discard as shrimp feed ingredient

Abstract

A study was carried out wherein mixed vegetable discards from the local market were fermented using the bacterium Bacillus licheniformis MTCC 6824, for 5 days. B. licheniformis fermented product (BLFP) on day 4 was incorporated at the rate of 5, 9 and 12% respectively as a feed ingredient in juvenile Penaeus monodon diet based on their amino acid profile, proximate composition and selected mineral profile. The growth and feed utilization efficiencies of shrimp fed with fermented vegetable product were superior to those fed with diets containing unfermented product (UFP). Among the test diets, diet with 9 and 12% BLFP performed better in terms of specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), apparent net protein utilization (ANPU) and weight gain. The highest protein and fat digestibility of 57.36 and 74.32% respectively, were recorded in shrimp fed with diet containing 9% BLFP. The highest protein and fat deposition was for the diet with 9% (68%) and 5% (6.47%) incorporation of BLFP, respectively. From the present study, it has been concluded that 9-12% of BLFP can be supplemented in the diet for P. monodon for its better growth and survival.