Citric-acid-ensiled poultry viscera as protein supplement for catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Defatted poultry viscera was ensiled with 4•5% (v/w) citric acid +0•5% (v/w) propionic acid, autolysed for 30 days, blended with soybean meal (85:15, w/w), and dried to produce poultry viscera silage meal (PVSM). PVSM was limiting in tryptophan. Three isoproteic and isocaloric diets containing 0, 15 or 30% PVSM as replacement for commercial poultry byproduct meal (PBM) were prepared and fed to triplicate groups of catfish (Clarias gariepinus, 14•4 ± 1•6 g) at 4% body weight per day for 70 days. Weight gain, growth performance and feed utilization indices, carcass composition, and hepatosomatic index did not vary significantly (P < 0•0.05). Results indicate that PVSM can be included up to 30% of catfish feed, to replace commercial PBM and possibly fish meal, without any effect on growth response, feed utilization or carcass quality of catfish.