Assessing the growth rate, feed conversion ratio, feed conversion efficiency, mortality rate and quantity harvested of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at Bindura University Farm in Mashonaland Central Province. · Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Author

Bizoni, Faith

Title

Assessing the growth rate, feed conversion ratio, feed conversion efficiency, mortality rate and quantity harvested of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at Bindura University Farm in Mashonaland Central Province.

Abstract

This study was done to assess the growth rate, feed conversion ratio, feed conversion efficiency, mortality and quantity harvested for Oreochromis niloticus. The study was carried out at the Bindura University Farm along Bindura-Shamva road in Mashonaland Central. For this purpose fish weights were initially recorded when they were introduced in November 2021. Tilapia were fed with feed from Profeeds throughout the production cycle. The assessment was carried out in all the six ponds for six months starting from December 2022 till May 2022 with each pond carrying 2200 fish. The growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, feed conversion ratio, mortality and quantity harvested were recorded. The highest mortality rate was obtained as 33.4 %. The least quantity harvested was 178.26 kg in pond 4. This was due to the high mortality rate experienced in the pond. The highest specific growth rate in the final month was recorded in pond 3 with 68.80. This was mostly due to the presence of enough commercial feed in the ponds. The FCR ranged from 6.7 to 7.2 in all the ponds during the first month. The FCR figures declined in the course of the production cycle especially in the last month with the least FCR being 1. The decline in the FCR was due to an increased consumption of food by the fish. The FCE was in a constant increase in all the ponds from the first month till the last. The FCE ranged from 0.13 to 0.88 during the whole production cycle. The recommendation from the study would be to carry out water quality test before and during the production cycle of Oreochromis niloticus.

Key words: Food conversion ratio, Food conversion efficiency, Mortality, quantity harvested

Date

2023

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Food conversion ratio

Food conversion efficiency

Oreochromis niloticus

Supervisor

Mhlanga, W