Growth performance, carcass composition and profitability of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) fed commercial and on-farm made fish feed in earthen ponds

Abstract

Fish feed is the most expensive of all the operational costs in semi-intensive culture of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Kenya. An experiment was conducted to compare growth and economic returns of O. niloticus reared on feeds from commercial companies and on farm made fish feeds in Kenya. Two commercial feeds, Uga feed (diet 1), Crop king feed (diet 2) and one on-farm made feed, Bidii feed (diet 3) were tested for six months. Proximate analyses for the crude protein level of the diets were 32.7, 16.0 and 28.0% for diets 1, 2, and 3 respectively. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in mean weights, specific growth rates and feed conversion ratios between diet 1, diet 2 and diet 3. Fish fed on diet 1 grew significantly larger than those fed on diet 2 and diet 3 (P<0.05) with mean weight of 122.47 g. However, fish fed on diet 3 gave the highest (P<0.05) net returns while those on diet 2 had the least net returns. Cost benefit analysis results showed that the on-farm formulated feed, diet 3 was economically viable for semiintensive system rearing of O. niloticus