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Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, vol.9, no.2, pp.327-331, 2010 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
The effects of various supplemental exogenous enzyme on the growth performance in African catfish Clarias gariepinus (initial mean weight 46.32±0.29 g) were examined for 12 weeks feeding trial. A multi enzyme complex (containing fungal xylanase, βJ-glucanase, pentosonase, β3-amilase, fungal β3-glucanase, hemicellulase, pectinase, cellulase, cellubiase), was included at the level of 0.0 (control group), 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 g enzyme complex kg-1 diet in four test diets. Each of the four experimental diets was randomly assigned to triplicate groups of fish and accidentally stocked into 100 L aquaria at a density of 10 fish per aquarium. After 90 days of rearing, the survival rate was ranged from 86.67-93.33% and there was no statistical difference between experimental and control groups. Growth rate significantly increased in fish fed with enzyme complex supplemented diets in comparison with the control groups (p<0.001). Specific growth rate was ranged from 1.09±0.03 (control group) to 1.23±0.01 (0.75 g kg-1 enzyme complex supplemented group). The best specific growth rate was observed at the group receiving 0.75 g kg-1 enzyme complex group. Also, food conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and apparent net protein utilization were significantly higher in all enzyme complex groups than that with control (p<0.01). The highest value of protein content (21.75%) was observed at 0.75 g kg-1 enzyme complex group. The results suggested that enzyme supplementation can significantly improve growth performance and feed utilization in African catfish. © Medwell Journals, 2010.