Dietary amino acid l-threonine requirement of fingerling Indian catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) estimated by growth and biochemical parameters

Abstract

An eight-week feeding experiment was conducted to quantify the dietary threonine requirement of young catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (9.20 ± 0.85 cm, 3.60 ± 0.45 g) using isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets [40% crude protein (CP); 4.28 kcal g/100 g, gross energy (GE)] containing casein, gelatin and L-crystalline amino acids. Six dietary treatments supplemented with graded levels of L-threonine (0.50, 0.75, 1.00, 1.25, 1.50 and 1.75 g per 100 g, dry diet), in gradations of 0.25 g per 100 g dry diet were formulated. Fish were randomly stocked, in triplicate groups, in 55-l indoor polyvinyl flow-through circular tanks and fed experimental diets at 4% of their body weight divided over two equal feedings at 08:00 and 16:00 hours. Feeding schedule and ration size were worked out prior to the start of the feeding trial. Live weight gain (263%), feed conversion ratio (FCR) (1.35) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) (1.85) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in fish fed a diet containing 1.25% dietary threonine. However, second-degree polynomial regression analysis of live weight gain, FCR, PER and body protein deposition data indicated the dietary threonine requirement to be 1.37, 1.26, 1.23 and 1.24 g per 100 g of dry diet, respectively. Whole-body moisture decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with the increase of dietary concentration up to 1.25%. A significantly (P < 0.05) higher protein content was evident in fish fed a diet containing 1.25% threonine. Body fat increased significantly (P < 0.05) with the increase of dietary concentration and was found to be highest at a 1.75% threonine concentration. A significantly (P < 0.05) higher ash content was reported at the 0.50 and 0.75% threonine levels. Body protein deposition was also found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher at the 1.25% threonine level, followed by the 1.50% threonine level. Based on these results, it is recommended that the diet for fingerling H. fossilis should contain threonine at a level of 1.27 g per 100 g of dry diet, corresponding to 3.17 g per 100 g of dietary protein for optimum growth and efficient feed utilization. No mortality was observed during the experiment.

Potential use of green algae Caulerpa lentillifera as feed ingredient in the diet of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

“…That was in line with the results of Yue et al (2014) research, which proved that threonine induction in feed will result in a reduced growth in tilapia without any pathological symptoms. Similar results were also observed in Indian catfish (Ahmed, 2007) and Indian major carp (Abidin & Khan 2008). Special attention need to be paid to the amino acids balance in feed, since an imbalance in type of composition can affect protein synthesis efficiency, resulting in not only in a low protein retention, but also a low Table 4.…”

A deficiency or an excess of dietary threonine level affects weight gain, enzyme activity, immune response and immune-related gene expression in juvenile blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala)

“…An anorectic status followed by weight loss also occurred in Indian major carp [5], grass carp [6], common carp [34], Catla catla [35], Japanese flounder [36] and Indian catfish [37] in response to test diets lacking or low in threonine but containing otherwise adequate levels of all nutrients.…”

Dietary amino acid l-tryptophan requirement of fingerling Indian catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch), estimated by growth and haemato-biochemical parameters

“…The levels of tryptophan in the test diets were fixed on the basis of information available on the other catfish species channel catfish (Wilson et al 1978). Method of preparation of experimental diets used in the present study was same as described earlier (Ahmed 2007), while composition of vitamin and mineral premixes was prepared as per (Halver 2002).…”

“…However, except for the amino acid threonine (Ahmed 2007), no information is available on any of its indispensable amino acid requirements. Due to that, the efforts remained hampering in developing amino acid-balanced practical feeds required for the intensive culture of this nutritionally and commercially valued aquaculture species.…”