Digestibility and nutrient utilization of soybean milk concentrate based diets in Oreochromis niloticus

The digestibility and utilisation of two fresh soybean milk concentrate based diets, two stale soybean milk concentrate based diets and two Fishman based diets serving as control, at optimal (30%) and suboptimal (20%) protein levels were evaluated in Oreochromis niloticus. The diets were as follows: Diet I (control) - fishmeal based diet at 30% crude protein, Diet II (control) Fishman based diet at 20% crude protein, Diet III - fresh soybean milk concentrate based diet at 30% crude protein, Diet IV - fresh soybean milk concentrate based diet at 20%, Diet V - stale soybean milk concentrate based diet at 30% crude protein, Diet VI-stale soybean milk concentrate based diet at 20%. Dry matter digestibility differed not significantly with variation in diets (P:0.05). A significant variation was recorded in the protein, lipid and ash digestibility. Proteins were more digestible at optimum than suboptimum level. Ash digestibility was lowest of all the nutrients. Variations in the utilisation of the diets in terms of weight gain, specific growth rate, food conversion ration, protein efficiency ration and apparent net protein utilization were insignificant (P: 0.05). All diets compared favourably with the standard control diet Diet I. This findings suggest the suitability of stale soybean milk concentrate utilisation as protein supplements in the diets of late fry Oreochromis niloticus

Digestibility and nutrient utilisation of soybean bran-based diets in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

The digestibility and utilisation of two soybean bran-based diets and two fishmeal-based diets serving as control, at optimal (30%) and suboptimal (20%) protein levels were evaluated in Oreochromis niloticus. These were Diet I (Control)-fishmeal based diet at 30% crude protein, Diet II (Control) - fishmeal based diet at 20% crude protein, Diet III - hydrolysed Soybean Bran based diet at 30% crude protein, Diet IV - hydrolysed Soybean Bran based diet at 20%. Dry matter digestibility differed insignificantly with variation in diets (P<0.05). There was significant variation in the protein (p 20.05), lipid and ash digestibility. Protein was more digestible at optimum level than sub-optimum level, while lipid and ash digestibility did not vary with their inclusion levels. Variation in the utilisation of the diets was significant (P<0.05) except for survival. It was observed that the best diet was Diet 1, closely followed by Diet II with highest values of mean final weight, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and the apparent net protein utilisation. The high digestibility values of Diets III and IV suggests their inclusion in fish diet to spare protein for growth

Effects of fermented fluted pumpkin leaf (Telfaria occidentalis) on the growth and nutrient utilization of Clarias (Clarias gariepinus)

Clarias (Clarias gariepinus) (Burshell, 1821) fingerlings were fed isonitrogenous diets (38.9% crude protein) with fermented fluted pumpkin leaves (FFPL) replacing different proportion (0,50,75,100%) of extruded soybean meal (ESM) for 8 weeks. Growth responses at the different substitution levels measured. Increasing FFPL intake resulted in better weight gains and higher specific growth rates (SGR) of 0.29, 0.36 and 0.38% per day respectively. The increase in growth from feeding diets containing 75% and 100% of the ESM replaced with FFPL were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of other diets. Further more fish tissue protein deposition consistently increased with increasing level of FFPL concentration in their diets. Fish fed diets where whole ESM was replace 100% FFPL gave the best overall response in terms of their weight gain, food conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio, and specific growth rate. Economic considerations indicate the replacement of ESM with FFPL, which is a cheaper ingredient in feeds for Clarias

Report on the physical, bacteriological and biochemical analyses of seawater samples collected off existing sewage outfalls in the Sierra Leone River Estuary

The studies reported were undertaken as part of a wide environmental feasibility study for the establishment of a modern sewage system in Freetown. The aim of this part of the study was to determine whether the hydrological regime of the Sierra Leone River Estuary would permit the large-scale introduction of sewage into the estuary without damaging the environment. The important factors were whether: 1) there would be sufficient dilution of the sewage; 2) fleatable particles or other substances would create significant adverse effects in the estuarine ecosystem. The outfall sites are described together with the sampling stations, methods and analyses. Results include: 1) T/S profiles; 2) chemical analysis of the water. A review of literature on the Sierra Leone River Estuary is included which provides information on the plankton, benthos and fisheries. Results suggest that at certain points where local circulations occur it would be inadvisable to locate untreated sewage outfalls. Such points are frequently observed in small embayments. These studies have been of short duration but the data can serve as baseline for more extended investigations which would give a more complete picture of the seasonal patterns in the estuary.

Selected topics in financial engineering: first-exit times and dependence structures of Marshall-Olkin Kind

146 p.

Influence of phosphate precursors on the structures of sodium aluminophosphate sols, gels and glasses

Transparent and homogeneous aluminophosphate gels and glasses have been widely synthesized through an aqueous sol-gel route, extending significantly the glass-forming range compared to that accessible via the melt-cooling route. Different phosphorus precursors, sodium polyphosphate (NaPO3) and orthophosphate species (NaH2PO4 and/or H3PO4) were compared with regard to the macroscopic properties and the microscopic structure of the resultant gels and glasses as characterized by extensive high-resolution liquid- and solid-state NMR. Sodium polyphosphate solution results in a substantially wider composition range of homogenous gel formation than orthophosphate solutions, and the two routes produce significant structural differences in the sol and xerogel states. Nevertheless, the structures of the glasses obtained upon gel annealing above 400 degrees C are independent of the P-precursors used. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the nutrient composition of some unconventional feedstuffs

A trial was carried out to evaluate the nutrient composition of some unconventional feedstuffs to ascertain their suitability for incorporation into fish feed. Pawpaw seed, mudskipper meal, water melon seed, almond kernel and groundnut husk were processed and analyzed for their proximate and mineral composition using internationally established procedure. The results obtained showed that the experimental feed stuffs had percentage crude protein that ranged from 7.38% to 55.85%. The highest level (55.85%) was found in mudskipper meal while the lowest (7.38%) was found in groundnut husk. The experimental feed stuffs had appreciable levels of calcium, potassium and phosphorus ranging from 0.29% to 1.87%, 0.17 to 1.26 and 0.06 to 0.97 respectively. Almond kernel can be used to replace soybean meal in aqua feed. Also, mudskipper meal can be used to replace fish meal in order to produce a cheaper fish feed; but it was recommended that feeding trials should be conducted to ascertain the inclusion level at which they can be effectively incorporated. The potentials of some of these feedstuffs in fish feed formulation seem high.