Growth and protein utilization by juvenile catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed dry diets containing co-dried lactic-acid-fermented fish-silage and protein feedstuffs

Fish-silage (FS), prepared from lactic acid fermentation of whole tilapias, 5% sugar beet molasses and 2% Lactobacillus plantarum, was blended and co-dried with soybean meal (SBM), poultry by-product meal (PBM), hydrolysed feather meal (HFM) and meat and bone meal (MBM). The blends were evaluated as protein source (providing 50% of dietary protein) in dry diets (40% protein, 4·3 kcal g−1 gross energy) for juvenile catfish, Clarias gariepinus, fed at 4% body weight day−1 for 70 days. The fish-silage pellets maintained their shape during water immersion and their water stability was high and similar (P>0·05) to that of a reference diet. Clarias gariepinus fed on the different fish-silage diets showed some significant (P 0·05). Protein digestibility was reduced (P