ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to determine the best possible substrates and attractants combination for production of housefly larvae. Also the study examined the growth performance, Nutrient Utilization and optimum inclusion level of Clarias gariepinus and Heterobranchus bidorsalis post fingerlings fed the produced maggot meal as an alternative to fish meal in their respective diet.
For Maggot production the experiment was laid out as a 3 (substrates) by 3 (Attractants) factorized in a complete Randomized design (CRD). Each treatment was replicated three times. A total of twenty-seven (27) units was used for the project. While for the Fish Trial Each experimental design consists of five (5) dietary treatments with three (3) replicates each. Diet 1 with 0% MGM inclusion served as control; Diet 2 (25% MGM); Diet 3 (50% MGM); Diet 4 (75% MGM) and Diet 5 (100% MGM).
At the end of the study it was observed that the best substrate for maggot production among the selected substrate is Brewer’s waste (76.06g/kg, 65.62g/kg and 58.55g/kg for Abattoir waste, Kitchen waste and Spoilt Fruit Attractants respectively) while the best fly attractant among the tested attractants was Abattoir waste (76.06g/kg, 31.48g/kg and 19.18g/kg for Brewer’s waste, Poultry Waste and Cow Dung Substrate respectively). Thus, for maggot production, a combination of Brewer’s waste and Abattoir waste was recorded as the best in terms of quantity of maggot produced. For Clarias gariepinus fed with diets containing maggot meal as a replacement for fishmeal it was observed that Diet containing 50% of Maggot meal and 50% Fishmeal recorded the best value for mean weight gain (3.29g), Feed Intake (2.99g), Feed conversion Ratio (1.34), Relative weight Gain (13.74) and Specific growth rate (1.88). Although maggot meal was able to replace fishmeal up until a total replacement (100% Maggot meal) but the best performance was recorded in diet containing 50% of Maggot meal and Fishmeal respectively. Therefore, for optimum production of C. gariepinus maggot meal inclusion level should be limited to 50%. For Heterobranchus bidorsalis test fish fed with diets containing maggot meal as a replacement for fishmeal it was observed that Maggot meal was able to replace fishmeal totally as the diet containing 100% of maggot meal was the best performer among other treatments. It recorded the highest value for mean Weight gain (3.01g), Feed Intake (6.36g) and Relative weight gain (18.70). These values increased with increase in the inclusion of maggot meal. However, the Feed Conversion Ratio performance declined with increase in maggot meal inclusion in the diet. Therefore, Maggot meal can replace fishmeal in the diet of Heterobranchus bidorsalis totally.
