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An experiment was designed and carried out to assess the survival, growth performance and feed utilization (weight gain, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, specific growth rate, feed intake and survival) of Heterobranchus bidorsalis fingerlings fed graded levels of toasted Lima beans seed (Phaseolus lunatus) meal based diets with the aim of establishing the best inclusion level of Lima beans seed meal. One hundred (100) fingerlings with an initial mean weight of 2.5± 0.5g were allotted at random to five treatments in triplicate groups with each treatment tank having five fingerlings and were fed with the compounded diets. The toasted Lima beans seed meal was used to replace soybean meal in the diets in the following proportions: Diet I (0%), diet II (25%), diet III (50%), diet IV (75%) and diet V (100%). At the end of the feeding trials that lasted for 70 days, At the end of the experiment, the Specific growth rate showed no significant difference (P >0.05) among all treatments. Treatment III (3.250) had the highest specific growth rate and Treatment II (2.083) had the lowest value. Relative weight gain was highest in treatment V (20.53) with 100% lima beans and lowest in treatment II (16.95) with 25% lima beans diet inclusion level. Treatment I and IV had no significant difference (P >0.05) but these treatments had a significant difference (P0.05) in the feed conversion ratio of treatment II, III, IV. There was also no significant difference (p> 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio of treatment I and V. Treatment II, III and IV showed a significant difference (P< 0.05) in the feed conversion ratio with treatment I and V. FCR was highest in treatment II (1.383) and lowest in treatment IV (1.162). Treatment V had the highest feed intake with value 3.775. Treatment I, II, III, IV and V had no significant difference (P> 0.05). Treatment I had the lowest feed intake with value (3.246). Protein efficiency ratio showed no significant differences among all treatment. PER was highest in treatment V (6.346) and lowest in treatment III (5.346). The survival rate was slightly different but not as a result of the feed consumed. Based on the findings in this study, it is therefore recommended that 75% inclusion level of Lima beans meal should be adopted in the formulation of feed for Heterobranchus bidorsalis. |
