Growth Response and Feed Conversion Efficiency of Tor putitora (Ham.) Fry at Varying Dietary Protein Levels

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the effect of different dietary protein levels Viz. 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50% on growth and Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE) of Tor putitora fry. Five iso-caloric diets containing different levels of protein such as 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50% were prepared in pellet form and fed to Tor putitora fry for a period of 120 days to determine the optimum protein requirement in laboratory conditions. Specific growth rates were 0.719, 0.696, 0.538, 0.486 and 0.364 in 45, 50, 40, 35 and 30% protein diet respectively. Food conversion efficiency was minimum at 30% (7.62), it further increased with increasing protein levels up to 45% (14.46) but beyond this it again decreases i.e. at 50% (13.85). On the basis of weight gain the following trend emerges 45%>50%>40%>35%>30%. The results confirm the best protein level for optimum growth of Tor putitora seems to be 45% and it is not significantly different from that achieved by 50% (p<0.001) protein diet.