ABSTRACT:

The research studied the effect of partial replacement for fish meal with feather meal in the growth performance of catfish,A total number of seventy-five (75) fingerlings divided into five treatments of varying inclusion levels of 0%,25%,50%, 75% and 100% respectively were used to partially replace fish meal with feather meal with the objectives to determine the proximate analysis, growth performance and water quality in which the fingerlings thrive, for the proximate analysis, moisture content, crude protein, ash content, lipid content and crude fiber content were investigated, also for growth performance, parameter investigated were specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, percentage weight gain and survival rate, on the other hand, water quality parameters measured were , temperature, Dissolved oxygen, P nitrite and nitrate, values for crude Protein ranges H, between (40.58 – 45.92%), fats (1.39 – 1.74%), crude fibre (1.93 – 1.97%), moisture (87.94 – 89.11%), ash (10.48 – 13.72%) and energy (2474.07 – 2499.97Kcal/kg), All the parameters measured were significantly different among the treatments (p<0.05), Growth performance of catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fed different inclusion of feather meal show Initial body weight, final body weight, body weight gain, initial body length, final body length, increasing body length, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio values range between 2.40 – 2.37g, 18.80 – 6.90g, 16.40 – 4.53g, 9.44 – 9.33cm, 16.43 – 9.53cm, 6.99 – 0.27cm, 29.29 – 8.10 and 8.78 – 14.50 respectively. All the parameters were significantly different among the treatments. (p<0.05), Physic-chemical analysis of African catfish fed with different inclusion level of feather meal show pH, temperature 0 alkalinity, dissolved oxygen nitrate and nitrite values ranges between 6.83 – 7.11, 27.40 – 27.57 C, 76.92 – 89.04Mg/l, 7.83 – 10.10mg/l, 4.23 – 1.22mg/l, 1.19 – 0.06mg/l respectively, all the parameters were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by the dietary inclusion of feather meal,the high body weight gain in T1 and T2 could also be attributed to the 25% and 50% inclusion level of feather meal in the experimental diet, In terms of growth performance, feed conversion ratio serves as a chief indicator for growth performance, result shows that T1 and T2 has the best replacement level, as inclusion level of feather meal increases there was also a proportional increase in parameters (protein, fat, fibre, ash, moisture) taken, Furthermore, as the level of inclusion increases all the water parameter determined also increased with a detrimental consequence, thus, there was incremental mortality noticed suggesting increase in feather meal can proportionally affect the survival rate of the fingerlings, the study shows that 25%to 50% replacement of fish meals with feather meal is ideal for optimum growth and nutrient utilization of the fish. Substituting fish meal with feather meals in the feed of Clarias gariepinus would indirectly reduce the feed production cost as feather meal has been shown to be a convenient economically viable, protein- rich feed ingredient and as unconventional source of feeding Clarias gariepinus