Electronic Journal of Biology

Nutritional Evaluation of Fermented Poultry Feather Meal in the Formulated Diets of Fingerlings of Catla catla (Hamilton)

Attempts were made to recycle poultry feathers in the formulation of diet for fish. Hydrolyzed poultry feather meal (PFM) was fermented with the help of a microbial suspension of keratinolytic bacteria. The completion of fermentation was determined by pH, total organic carbon and total nitrogen content of the fermented product. Four experimental diets were prepared with fermented PFM replacing 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the fishmeal (FM). The reference diet was prepared with fishmeal as the major source of protein. All the diets were isonitrogenous with 30% protein. A 90 days trial was conducted with fingerlings of Indian major carp Catla catla under laboratory conditions. The results reveled that all the experimental diets were as effective as the reference diets. Deposition of crude protein in the whole body was also significantly higher in the diet with 30% PFM and 10% FM, as compared to the other experimental diets. It was concluded from the study that the diet with 30 % PFM and 10 % FM, replacing 75% of FM if hydrolyzed PFM was processed appropriately through fermentation.

Author(s): Kausik Mondal

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share this