Proximate Composition of African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) Fingerlings Carcass fed with varying levels of Betaine/β – Glucan Feed Additive

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the proximate composition of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings carcass fed with varying levels of betaine/ β – glucan feed additive. Combination of betaine/β – glucan feed additive was included into formulated feed with 40% crude protein at; 0.0g/100g (BBG0 i.e. control), 0.325g/100g (BBG1), 0.75g/100g (BBG2), 1.125g/100g (BBG3) and 1.50g/100g (BBG4) in triplicate, fed to C. gariepinus fingerlings (n = 300, 10.0±0.00g) in fifteen (15) plastic tanks (n = 20) at fixed feeding rate of 3% body weight twice daily for twelve (12) weeks. Carcass samples were collected from three (3) fish at commencement and also three (3) fish from each treatment and control at termination of feeding trial for proximate analysis. Data collected was statistically analysed using one - way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P = 0.05. Crude protein values (67.87±3.5 – 69.85±4.7 %), crude lipid (14.00±1.20 – 14.55±2.40 %), crude fibre (0.38±0.01 – 0.45±0.02 %), moisture (1.42±0.21 – 1.62±0.14 %), ash (10.86±2.5 – 11.86±2.9 %.) nitrogen - free extract (2.92±1.04 – 5.40±1.01 %) were recorded. Combination of betaine/β – glucan feed additive at varying levels employed in this study did not result in statistically significant changes (p>0.05) in the values of crude protein, crude lipid, crude fibre, moisture, ash and NFE.