SUBSTITUTION OF ANIMAL PROTEIN WITH PLANT PROTEIN FED TO Labeo rohita AND Cirrhinus mrigala AND ITS EFFECT ON GROWTH AND CARCASS COMPOSITION

The experiment was conducted in two replicates in four earthen fish ponds, 20-Labeo rohita, and 15-Cirrhinus mrigala were stocked in all the ponds. Various limnological parameters of water viz., temperature, pH, light penetration, dissolved oxygen, total alkalinity, carbonates, bicarbonates, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, total solids, total dissolved solids and planktonic biomass were monitored throughout the study period to keep them in suitable range for the fish production. A standard fish diet for T1 was formulated having 30% crude protein using fish meal, sunflower meal, rice polish, canola meal, soybean meal and vitamin premix was also added @ 1% of the feed-weight. Experimental fish diets for T2, T3, and T4 were prepared by replacing fish meal from standard diet with maize gluten on iso-nitrogenous basis at 25, 50 and 75% levels, respectively. The growth parameters studied for L. rohita and C. mrigala as influenced by the given experimental conditions were the increase in average body weight, fork length, total length, condition factor and total fish production. The carcass composition of fish at the end of experiment was analyzed by standard methods. From the results it was observed that highest growth was obtained from T1 where standard feed was provided followed by the T2 where fish meal was replaced with maize gluten at 25% level, T3 when fish meal was substituted by maize gluten at 50% level and lowest was found in T4 where fish meal was replaced with maize gluten at 75% level.