Growth Performance and Nutrient Utilization of Catfish Hybrid (Heterobranchus bidorsalis X Clarias gariepinus) Fed Fermented Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Waste Meal Diets
Obe, Bernadine Wuraola

Abstract
Fingerlings of “Heteroclarias” were stocked randomly into ten tanks at 10 fingerlings per tank and subjected to five treatments with each treatment replicated twice. Fermented Sorghum Waste, which is the test ingredient, was included at 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% in the five diets formulated at 40% crude protein. The experiment lasted for 70 days. Fish fed with diet D2 (20% inclusion level) had the best growth rate with specific growth rate of 2.08±0.08, feed conversion ratio of 1.03±0.05 and protein efficiency ratio of 1.46±0.09 while fish fed with diet D5 (80% inclusion level) had the least growth rate with specific growth rate of 1.89±0.08, feed conversion ratio of 1.33±0.06 and protein efficiency ratio of 1.13±0.06. There was no significant difference in all the growth and nutrient utilization data for fish fed diets D1 to D4 but they differed significantly from fish fed diet D5. It can be concluded that Fermented Sorghum Waste Meal can replace maize up to 60% inclusion level as an energy source in the diets of “Heteroclarias” fingerlings without adverse effects on nutrient utilization and growth performance.

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