GROWTH PERFORMANCE, HAEMATOLOGY AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF Clarias gariepinus JUVENILE FED CHICKEN EGG SHELLS AS REPLACEMENT FOR DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE

Abstract

The effects of substituting di-calcium phosphate (DCP.) with chicken egg shell (CES.) on the growth, haematology and biochemistry of Clarias gariepinus were investigated for ten weeks in a feeding experiment. One hundred and fifty juveniles of Clarias gariepinus were fed at varying inclusion levels of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% CES meals. Significant difference occurred (P < 0.05) in the mean weight gain (MWG) (35.54±5.69), average feed intake (AFI) (0.8029±0.0967) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) (1.48±0.18) of the fish, with the highest values in the fish fed 25%CES. while the lowest occurred at 75% substitution level.. In the haematological parameters, red blood cell (RBC), packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) levels were highest in the 50% CES. WBC values recorded in the fish fed with the test ingredients were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the control. The biochemical analysis showed that the urea values observed in the fish fed with the test feed were significantly higher (P<0.05) than that of the control with the highest value recorded in diet 50% CES. In conclusion, chicken egg shell could be substituted with di-calcium phosphate (DCP) up to 25% and or 50%level of substitution in Clarias gariepinus diet without any negative effects on the growth and feed efficiency.