Journal of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences

Effect of Dietary Protein Level of Feed formulated using Fishery and Seafood Processing by Products on Mud Crab (Scylla serrata) Fattening
D. D. T. T. D. Senarathna, Vithushana Thangarajah, A. H. M. L. N. Kumari, K. H. D. N. Abeysooriya

Abstract
In the present study, three types of formulated dry pellet feed which were developed using shrimp head meal prepared using the seafood processing wastes and trash fish meal prepared using fishery by catches as the main source of protein were evaluated for mud crab (Scylla serrata) fattening. Trash fish were used as the control feed. Crabs (60.30 g ± 9.76) were selected for the experiment and stocked in vertical culture racks. Four repetitive feeding modes with formulated feed were done and treatment was randomly assigned to each test unit. All crabs were fed with 8% of their body weight twice per day for 30 days. Feed 02 which was formulated with 12% of fish meal and 17% of shrimp head meal had the best growth response. Also, the meat of the crabs fed with feed 02 had a high level of protein than other formulated and control feed. Feed 03 formulated with 36% of fish meal and 6% of shrimp head meal had the lowest feed conversion ratio and the highest water stability. In contrast, the control feed had the best feeding efficiency, and protein efficiency over the formulated feed. Furthermore, the trash fish was profitable than the developed feeds. But the sense of convenience, water quality management, and the feasibility of using in any situation are high with the formulated dry pellets. Therefore, dry pellet feed is preferred over the wet feed for fattening mud crabs without facing issues related to the poor availability of trash fish and disease transmissions through fresh trash fish.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jaes.v10n2a3