Effect of starvation followed by re-alimentation on performance ofLabeo rohita (H)

A 90 days trial was conducted to study the effect of starvation followed by re-alimentation on compensatory growth and carcass composition of Indian major carp, rohu (Laheo rohita H.). 150 acclimatized rohu fingerlings (20.74±0.13 g/f) divided into five equal groups (30 fingerlings in each group with three replications of 10 fingerlings each) in a completely randomized design were offered either control diet (C) fed to apparent satiation or alternatively 3 days starved and 3 days fed to apparent satiation (S₃F₃), alternatively 7 days starved and 7 days fed to apparent satiation (S₇F₇), alternatively 15 days starved and 15 days fed to apparent satiation (S₁₅F₁₅) and alternatively 25 days starved and 25 days fed to apparent satiation (S₂₅ F₂₅) during 90 days trial. Increased feed intake as percent of body weight (hyperphagia) (3.84 or 4.64 and 3.03 9), improved specific growth rate (1.94 or 1.99 and 1.98), absolute growth rate (1.11 or 1.17 and 1.14), feed efficiency or gross growth efficiency (0.66 or 0.65 and 0.41), protein efficiency ratio (2.16 or 2.10 and 1.32) and superior feed conversion ratio (1.52 or 1.57 and 2.49) were the important mechanism showing better performance index (65.54 or 66.56 and 41.06) through which the experimental groups which were starved and re-alimented at 3 or 7 days alternatively during 90 days trial period could able to compensate the growth retardation and to catch up the final body weight of control but other experimental groups failed to compensate during 90 days trial period. Chemical composition of fish muscle indicated that the higher growth efficiency during compensatory growth was probably due to protein growth rather than fat deposition. The results indicated that the implementation of alternative 7 days starvation and full feeding during aquaculture of carps could minimize the feed input cost making economize the operation.