COST BENEFITS ANALYSIS OF CATFISH (Clarias gariepinus) FED GRADED GRASSHOPPER MEALS (Zonocerus variegatus) AS DIETARY INCLUSION

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the cost benefit using 40% different levels of crude protein of Edible Grasshopper (Zonocerus variegatus) fed to African catfish Burchell 1822 (Clarias gariepinus) as a substitute to fish meal in order to determine the cost benefit of Zonocerus variegatus on the growth of African catfish. Four isocarloric and isonitrogenous diets were formulated to contain 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% Zonocerus variegatus to replace equal weight of fish meal in order to evaluate the response and cost benefit fed to Clarias gariepinus at varrying inclusion Levels. All the four treatments diets were fed to catfish ( Clarias gariepinus) fingerlins in replicate for 8 weeks. The best cost benefit were obtained in fish fed 30% Zonocerus variegatus inclusion. Fish fed 10% Zonocerus variegatus (grasshopper) inclusion had the lowest cost benefit. All the treatment diets showed that cost benefit due to increasing dietary Zonocerus variegatus meals were significant (p<0.05). This study revealed that the optimum requirement level of Zonocerus variegatus for cost benefit of Clarias gariepinus is 30% Zonocerus variegatus inclusion. It is therefore recommended Zonocerus variegatus meal at 30% inclusions for a successful aquaculture practice due to its high cost effective.