The use of feather meal as a replacement for fish meal in the diet of Oreochromis niloticus fry

Four diets were developed in which equal weights of hydrolyzed feather meal (F) replaced equal weights of fish and meat and bone (FMB) meal in the following percentages: 0/100, 33/66, 66/33 and 100/0 (F/FMB). Each diet was proffered ab libitum to two replicate groups of 60 fry (mean wet weight 12•3 ± 0•3 mg) for 42 days. Survival was not significantly different among treatments (> 93%). The individuals fed 0/100, 33/66 and 66/33 (F/FMB) did not differ significantly in median or mean weight gain, however, individuals fed 100/0 (F/FMB) were significantly smaller than those fed all other diets at days 21 and 42. The growth of Oreochromis niloticus fry was not compromised by replacement of up to 66% of fish meal and meat and bone meal (9•9% of the total diet) with feather meal. Feeding feather meal as a sole source of animal protein, however, appears to result in a decrease in weight gain and associated growth parameters.