Quantification of dietary valine requirement of fingerling Channa punctatus (Bloch) based on growth, feed conversion efficiency, carcass composition, hematology, and antioxidant status

Abstract

A 12-week experiment was performed to determine the valine requirement of Channa punctatus (5.32 ± 0.08 g) by feeding purified diets (450 g/kg CP, 14.73 KJ/g DE) with graded levels of valine to triplicate groups of fishes to apparent satiation containing seven valine concentrations (7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 17.5, 20 and 22.5 g/kg diets). Absolute weight gain, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, protein retention efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, and RNA/DNA ratio improved (P < 0.05) with the increasing concentrations of valine up to 15 g/kg diet. Carcass protein and moisture content showed a positive trend with incremental valine levels up to 15 g/kg, whereas fat contents showed a reverse pattern. The highest hemoglobin, red blood corpuscle, and hematocrit were found at 15 g/kg of dietary valine. Total serum protein, superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and lysozyme increased with the increase in valine up to 15 g/kg, whereas malondialdehyde, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase significantly decreased (P < 0.05). From the results of absolute weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, and protein retention efficiency, the range of dietary valine requirement for C. punctatus is 15.9–17.2 g/kg diet.