Abstract
The study was designed to investigate the value of fresh housefly maggot diet as protein source and the level of inclusion for optimum growth in the diet of Nile Tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) fingerlings. Five experimental diets, four fresh maggot substituted diets containing 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% fresh maggot meal and a control (0% maggot inclusion) were prepared and tested on triplicate groups of O. niloticus fingerlings (mean weight of 0.52g) for twelve weeks. The fish were fed twice daily at 3% of their body weight. The optimum water quality parameters were 27 0 C, 7.63 and 7.55 for Temperature, pH and Dissolved Oxygen respectively and the maggot did not pollute the water media. The best growth rate was recorded among the fish fed control diet and 100% fresh maggot inclusion as the only protein source and the least growth rate was showed by fingerlings fed 25% fresh maggot inclusion. Optimum Specific Growth Rate, Feed Conversion Ratio and Protein Efficiency Ratio of 1.8702, 159.92 and 1.8759 respectively showed that there was no significant difference in weight gained by the fish fed with the five diets except 25% fresh maggot substituted diet. The study indicated that fresh maggot meal can be successfully used to replace fishmeal partially or completely from 50% up to 100% in the diet of O. niloticus fingerlings for optimal growth and nutrient utilization. Based on these results, maggot meal is suggested as an effective and sustainable protein source to replace fishmeal in the diet of farmed tilapia. Keywords: Fishmeal, Housefly maggot, Optimum growth, Diet
Highlights
The study was designed to investigate the value of fresh housefly maggot diet as protein source and the level of inclusion for optimum growth in the diet of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings
The protein provided growth and feed conversion levels equivalent to fish meal at substitution levels ranging from 25-100 %.Fashina et al, (1997) and Ajani et al, (2004) reported that magmeal can replace up to 100 percent of fish meal in the diets of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus)
The high demand of O. niloticus has prompted countries such as China, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand and the Philippines to invest in tilapia culture (Sing et al, 2014; Watanabe et al, 2002), which in turn has elevated tilapia to second place amongst the farmraised food fish in the world by volume (FAO, 2011).This present study was carried out to determine the best level of replacement of fishmeal with maggot meal in the diet of O. niloticus fingerlings
Summary
The study was designed to investigate the value of fresh housefly maggot diet as protein source and the level of inclusion for optimum growth in the diet of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Insectbased diets have been recognized and studied in recent times as one of the cheaper alternatives to fishmeal Insects such as the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens), the meal worm beetle (Tenebrio molitor) and the house fly(Musca domestica) have been studied as alternative protein sources and as substitute for fish meal in fish diets with promising results (Emilie et al, 2017;Ogunjiet al., 2008; Zuidhof et al, 2003; Ng et al, 2001;).Interestingly maggot supplemented meal have been used successfully to feed Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings (Emilie et al, 2017; Ezewudo et al, 2015; Ajani et al, 2004; Idowu et al, 2003;Fasakinet al., 2003; Akinwande et al, 2002; Adesulu and Mustapha, 2000;Faturotiet al., 1995).Housefly (Musca domestica) maggot meal was reported to contain 39-65% protein (Awoniyi et al, 2003; Atteh and Ologbenla, 1993), while the protein content of Chrysomya megacephala maggot meal. The high demand of O. niloticus has prompted countries such as China, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand and the Philippines to invest in tilapia culture (Sing et al, 2014; Watanabe et al, 2002), which in turn has elevated tilapia to second place amongst the farmraised food fish in the world by volume (FAO, 2011).This present study was carried out to determine the best level of replacement of fishmeal with maggot meal in the diet of O. niloticus fingerlings
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