Growth and non-specific immunity parameters of rohu fed with a floating feed prepared from locally available ingredients (cifa-carp grower)

A Grower feed carp (CIFA-Carp Grower) was formulated and prepared using locally available ingredients, minerals (with nano-selenium and nano-zinc) and vitamins mixture through extrusion technology and it's performance was compared with an existing feed used by farmers of eastern region. The developed feed contains 28 percent crude protein (CP) and 4 percent crude fat. The feed has been commercialized, IP protected and reached to aquaculture farmers covering about 10–12 states of India. As per the scheduled methodology of demonstration, rohu fingerlings (average 105 g) were stocked randomly into triplicate ponds for both control and treatment following a completely randomised design and stocking density of 7500/hectre was maintained for each pond. The fish of control ponds were fed with a mixture of groundnut oil cake (GNOC) and rice bran (50:50) with minerals and vitamins mixture where as fish of treatment ponds were fed with a grow out feed developed by ICAR-CIFA(CIFA-Carp Grower). During the experimental period of 10 months, growth, survivability, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and non-specific immunity parameters of rohu fed with CIFA-Carp Grower were recorded and compared with rohu fed with an existing feed used by farmers of this region. The average size of fish after feeding with CIFA- Carp Grower were 1088 gm at 10 months of feeding with average feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 1.290 and it was better than existing/traditional method of feeding. The results of the demonstration showed that weight gain, survivability, feed convetrsion ratio (FCR) and nonspecific immunity parameters of grow out rohu fed with CIFA-Carp Grower was better as compared to existing feed practiced by many farmers in this region. So, CIFA- Carp Grower may be popularised among farmers, entrepreneurs and researchers for aquaculture development of the whole country.