Nutritive value of potential feed resources used in Laos for African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) production

摘要

nbsp;Thepresentexperimentwasperformedtodeterminethedigestibilityofnutrientsandenergyincarbohydrate-rich(ricebran,brokenrice,maize,cassavarootmeal)andinprotein-rich(driedfish,snails,earthworms,frogs,termites)feedresourcesthatarecommonlyusedtoformulatedietsfortheAfricancatfish(Clariasgariepinus)inLaos.nbsp;Theapparentdigestibility(AD)oforganicmatterrangedfrom78.1to87.5%,andwasonaverage83.2%(SD2.7).TheADofcrudeprotein(CP)inthetestdietsrangedfrom86.6to93.2%(average90.6%,SD2.4)andtheADofcrudefat(EE)rangedfrom79.9to91.2%(average87.0,SD3.4).TheADofthecarbohydratecomponentswaslowerthantheADforCPandEE.However,despitealargervariationintheADbetweendietsandingredients,onaverage72.2%(SD6.7)ofthenitrogen-feeextractsand77.7%ofthetotalcarbohydratefraction(SD3.7)weredigested.TheADofenergyinthetestdietswashighandrangedfrom80.3to88.2%(average84.5%,SD2.3).nbsp;Theestimatedcontentofdigestibleenergy(DE)rangedfrom13.2MJ/kgDMforricebranto18.1MJ/kgDMforfrogs.Onaverage,theDEcontentofthecarbohydrate-richfeedingredientswaslowerthanthatoftheprotein-richfeedingredients.Theprotein:energyratio(P/Eratios)rangedfrom2.2to6.4gCP/MJDEforthecarbohydrate-richfeedingredients,andfrom17.4to26.1gCP/MJDEfortheprotein-richfeedingredients.nbsp;ToreachoptimumP/EratiosinthedietforgrowingAfricancatfish(25-30gCP/MJDE)onlytheprotein-richfeedingredientshasthepotentialtomeetrequiredlevels.Thus,thereisaneedtosearchforotherpotentiallyusefulfeedingredientsforcatfishproduction.