EFFECT OF IRON AMINO ACID CHELATE SUPPLEMENT IN FISH FEEDS ON GROWTH PERFOMANCE OF NILE TILAPIA (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758) AND SPINACH (Spinacia oleracea Linnaeus, 1552) IN AN AQUAPONIC SYSTEM

RONO, KENNETH (2018)
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Thesis

Aquaponic is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics. It is an environmentally friendly production system involving reuse of waste and nutrients in production of fish and vegetables. The research was conducted to investigate the effect of iron amino acid chelate supplementation in fish feeds on the growth of Nile tilapia and spinach in aquaponic system. The study was conducted at the University of Eldoret for 119 days from August-December 2016. A complete randomized design was used. The supplementation rates in fish diets constituted 30g, 20g, 10g and 0g Fe kg-1 respectively. Nile tilapia fry with a mean weight of 0.475 ± 0.025g and spinach of height (3 ± 0.131cm) were stocked in 12 aquaria in an aquaponic system. On the fish growth significantly different (p < 0.05) was recorded in all the treatments where 30g Fe kg-1 treatment resulted in the highest fish growth performance with final weights of 11.61 ± 0.55g, and SGR of 2.52 ± 0.01 and a good FCR of 1.10 ± 0.107 compared to the other three treatment. In the carcass composition analysis, 30g Fe kg-1 treatment exhibited a significant difference (p < 0.05) for higher ash content, crude protein and lower crude lipids (16.350 ± 0.03%, 65.607 ± 0.74% and 12.20 ± 0.256%, respectively) while treatment 0g Fe kg-1 showed lowest ash content, crude protein and crude lipids (10.59 ± 2.12%, 59.671 ± 0.676% and 18.20 ± 0.465% respectively). The hemoglobin and hematocrit levels were higher at 30g Fe kg-1 (45.090 ± 0.704 % and 15.630 ± 0.935g dL-1) and lower at 0g Fe kg-1 treatment (29.773 ± 0.213% and 9.9244 ± 0.071g dL-1). A decrease in glucose levels in fish carcasses was recorded with increased supplementation of iron amino acids chelates level in diets. The 0g Fe kg-1 demonstrated higher glucose levels (26.8 ± 0.0289mg dL-l) and lower levels at 30g Fe kg-1 (13.433 ± 0.169 mg dL-1). At 30g Fe kg-1 treatments spinach indicated a significant growth at (p < 0.05) than other treatments with final mean height (52.44 ± 0.798cm) and 19 leaves. The least growth of spinach was at 0g Fe kg-1treatments with final mean height, (25.36 ± 0.72cm, 10 ± 0.225) leaves. 30g Fe kg-1 treatment exhibited higher minerals content than other treatments with Phosphorus 67.51 ± 2.42 mgL-1, Zinc 9.06 8 ± 0.45 mgL-1, Iron 5.2 ± 0.218 mgL-1, Manganese 7.655 ± 0.344 mgL-1, Total Nitrogen 11.248 ± 0.141mgL-1 and Sodium 7.218 ± 0.028 mgL-1. Additionally 30g Fe kg-1 treatment demonstrated higher levels of chlorophyll a (10.283 ± 0.22) and b (11.665 ± 0.250) as compared to other treatments. There was improved water quality at 30g Fe kg-1 compared to other treatments. These results revealed that 30g Fe kg-1 iron amino acid chelate supplementation had better nutritional attributes as feedstuff for O. niloticus growth than the two other dietary treatments. The study recommends the incorporation of iron amino acid chelate in on-farm formulated diets where complete diets are not easily accessible for small scale farmers.

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