Effects of dietary supplementation of fish and vegetable oils on the growth performance and muscle compositions of the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The present investigation was conducted to assess the suitability of three vegetable oils (sunflower oil, coconut oil and castor oil) as an alternative dietary lipid source for cod liver oil to culture Macrobrachium rosenbergii post larvae (PLs). The experimental feeds contained 40% protein with separately incorporated three vegetable oils and cod liver oil. The feeding trial was conducted on M. rosenbergii PL for 60 days. In the final day of the experimental period, the survival rate, weight gain, length gain, specific growth rate and protein efficiency ratio of prawns showed no significance (P > 0.05) between sunflower oil and cod liver oil incorporated feed fed groups. The coconut oil and castor oil showed lower performance when compared with cod liver oil. The present result showed biochemical accumulation of total protein, amino acids, carbohydrate and lipid in experimental groups. Also there is no significant difference in ash and mineral (Na+ and K+) contents. Among the tested diets, the recorded growth rate and biochemical constituents of sunflower oil and cod liver oil incorporated feed fed groups were similar. The present results revealed that the sunflower oil was on par with cod liver oil. Hence, the sunflower oil can be incorporated in feed formulation for M. rosenbergii PL culture. It can be concluded that the coconut oil and castor oil are not ideal vegetable lipid source with these concentrations which produced lower performance in survival, growth and biochemical compositions of M. rosenbergii PL.