Fish feed Ingredients
Fish feeds play a big portion in the growth of the
fish and also it is the one that takes 60 % of the total production cost in a
fish farming business. Hence selection of high quality feed ingredients is
required in order to ensure a successful results in fish production.
Unfortunately
some of these feed ingredients tend to have some complication on their use
although they may have higher nutrients level compared to other. Some tend to
have anti-nutritional elements, toxic and unpleasant flavor hence produce poor
results in fish growth.
Today in this section we shall look some of fish
feed ingredients that have threat but are not easily noticeable by a fish
farmers.
Rice bran (RB)
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| Rice bran |
The term Rice bran means bran layer with the germ of
rice kernel. Rice bran is grouped into energy feedstuff and normally it used in
omnivorous and herbivores fish.
Advantages
It is easily available and not expensive
It is enriched with oil content of 12 to 15 % hence
used in the manufacturing of floating pellets because of buoyancy nature.
High amount of
iron and manganese
Disadvantages
It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids hence easily
to sour which in turn affect stored capacity of fish feeds.
High fiber content hence poor digestibility
Pelleting ability of rice bran is low
Blood meal
Blood meal is placed into protein feedstuffs. Main
sources are from slaughtering farm animals mainly cattle and hogs sometimes chicken.
It is mainly used as high protein feed as well as supplemental dietary lysine
for fish.
Advantages
Enriched with high protein level
Easily available
Disadvantages
Highly selective, it is suitable for older than for
young fish
It is protein level is highly affected by drying
methods during processing stage
Cause cracking head disease in catfish if it is used
excessively
Low level methionine hence lack nutrient balance
Due to has high amount of Nitrogen hence it tends
affect water quality
Feather meal
Feather meal is a by-product of poultry meat processing.
The average amount of the crude protein content is about 86.9 %.
Advantages
Environmental friendly due to the conversion of
feather into protein feedstuff instead of being dumped.
Easily and low cost protein feedstuff
Disadvantages
It contains high amount of unidentified growth
factors.
Higher risk of being contaminated with salmonella.
Excessive use of feather meal to replace fish meal
causes crack head disease especially in catfish
Low digestibility of the nutrients
It cannot alone being used as main protein source in
fish feeds hence require fortification of amino acids
Sunflower meal
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| Sunflower meal |
It is byproduct of the oil extract from sunflower seeds.
Sunflower is placed in protein feedstuff group and normally used as a
replacement of soybean
Advantages
Enriched with high level of methionine hence highly
correspond with other meals
Highly palatable and non-selective hence can be used
to feed fish at all ages
Disadvantages
Low level of lysine and threonine
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