The use of maggot meal in African cat fish Feeding

Abstract

A twelve week feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the growth and nutrient utilization of African
catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings fed varying levels of maggot meal. Maggot meal was produced
from a mixture of 25 kg of cattle blood, 70% wheat bran, and 30% saw dust and substituted for fish meal
in the fish diet to produce five varying levels of maggot meals- Treatment 1 (Trt 1) contained 0% of
maggot meal (control), Trt 2 (50% maggot meal), Trt 3 (33.3% maggot meal), Trt 4 (66.6% maggot meal),
and Trt 5 (75% maggot meal). A total of 150 fingerlings (two weeks old ±21.74 g) were allotted to five
dietary treatments (fifteen fingerlings per tank) in a randomized design. Highest mean weight gain
(MWG), percentage weight gain (PWG) and specific growth rate (SGR|) (35.47 g, 63.23%, 1.30%/day)
were observed in Trt5 (75% maggot inclusion) respectively while the least values, 13.545 g, 62.29%,
0.69%/day were observed in Trt1 (control) respectively. In the same vein highest value of feed intake
(116.4 kg) was recorded for Trt5 and least value (71.8 kg) was found with Trt3. However, FCR were
significantly (P< 0.05) higher, Trt5 had the least FCR (3.13) and the highest value of 5.07 was found with
fish fed control diet. Trt5 had the highest values of protein intake (PI) 47.60 and protein efficiency ratio
(PER) 0.75, respectively. The results observed for FI showed that the feed were highly acceptable by the
fish and the best growth response was achieved at higher level of maggot inclusion (75% maggot meal
inclusion). Highest PER is also an indication that maximum utilisation of nutrients was obtained at the
higher levels of maggot meal in the diet. Also, best of feed to flesh gain ratio was attained at the higher
level of maggot inclusion. Therefore, it can be concluded that maggot meal can replace fish meal up to
75% without any adverse effect on the growth of the fish.