SUBSTITUTION OF FISHMEAL PROTEIN BY SOYBEAN MEAL IN DIET FOR GIANT FRESH WATER PRAWN MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGII (de Man)

Abstract

A 95 days experiment was conducted to observe the growth performance of giant fresh water prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) replacing fishmeal protein by dietary soybean meal protein in ten earthen mini ponds (50 m2), at Khulna University campus . Five experimental diets containing 25% protein as Control, Diet 1, Diet 2, Diet 3 and Diet 4 were used. In Control, 36% fishmeal was used as a sole source of protein and Diet 1, 2, 3 and 4 were prepared by substituting fishmeal protein with 30, 40, 50, and 80% fishmeal protein with soybean meal protein respectively. Juvenile shrimps were collected from local vendors having 1.7 g average weight and stocked at a density of 3 m-2. Water and soil quality was monitored regularly and found within the acceptable range. The prawns were fed twice daily at satiations by serving the diets in feeding trays. The highest average weight gain was found in Diet 4 (23.89 ± 5.29 g) and the lowest in Diet 2 (17.68 ± 1.09), although no significant difference (p>0.05) was observed among the treatment and the lowest FCR (1.09) the highest SGR (2.60) and PER (3.43) was achieved in Diet 4 that showed significant difference (p<0.05) with that of Control. Survival rate in Control, D1, D2, D3 and D4 was found 71%, 83%, 95%, 95% and 86% respectively. Among all treatments the better growth performance was found in Diet 4.