2.1 The National Fish Feedstuffs Survey has been completed. The original survey for 50 feedstuffs has been expanded to include 83 available materials in Bangladesh. Assays for moisture ash, crude protein and crude fat have been completed on all 83 feedstuffs but with great difficulty and was done only because of close cooperation of the Fishery Technology and Animal Science Department of Bangladesh Agricultural University since the nutrition laboratory equipment for nitrogen and lipid assays was not delivered to date. This lack of fume hood, lack of spectrophotometer, lack of Kjeldahl apparatus and lack of extractor for lipid and fiber determinations prevents orderly conduct of planned experiments discourages initiative of nutrition section personnel and generates negative impressions of activities in this research section of FRI. Some equipment has been ordered and received but major limiting equipment is still missing. Personnel should be commended for doing as much as possible with the following laboratory equipment missing:
2.1.1 FUME Hood
Spectrophotometer
Laboratory Wiley Mill
Bomb calorimeter
Macro Kjeldahl apparatus (6 place)
Micro Kjeldahl apparatus (6 place)
Fat and Fiber extractor unit (6 place)
2.2 The National Fish Feedstuffs Survey results have been submitted to the International Network of Feedstuffs Information Centers (INFIC) and observor membership for FRI has been requested. Feedstuffs have been described using national and scientific terminology following the INFIC Classification System. Assays were conducted by INFIC/AOAC approved methods. The Bangladesh feedstuffs are therefore now listed and are Internationally available within the data bank of INFIC for use by any nutrition or diet development laboratory or industry in the world. It is expected this survey will be expanded to include other available feedstuffs, raw materials or processed by-products as these become identified. Sampls of materials collected are available for amino acid, fatty acid, mineral and vitamin assay on request and it is anticipated that at least the indispensable amino acid and fatty acid profiles will be conducted by cooperating laboratories as selected materials become incorporated in the diet testing programmes at FARS and elsewhere and are found promising for least cost formulations.
2.3 Modification of the diet testing proposals at FARS
were initiated. The plan to test gross protein
requirements for claius was deleted in favor of
digestibility techniques for representable test
species. Reference diet (RD) studies were done
using chromic oxide marked reference diet on
Tilapia and on rohu. Five selected feedstuffs
from the National survey (NDD.A) 1) rice bran 2)
pulse brans 3) nustard seed cack 4) silk worm
pupae and 5) duckweed, will be used at 50% weight
of RD for the test diets (TD) and will be fed for
7 days. On day 7 fish were sacrificed and feces
collected at necropsy from last 25% gut. Ten fish
were tested for each feedstuff and the
digestibility cofficient (DC) for each feedstuff
calculated from the equation developed.
DC = (TD - 0.5 RD) 2
Chromic acid labelled samples of diets fed and of feces collected have been dried and wait chromium assay as soon as the fume hood and spectrophotometer arrive at the nutrition laboratory. Samples collected could be contract analyzed at the BCSIR laboratores in Dhaka where Dr. Faroque was contacted and he indicated a proposal for assay for chromium would be considered by Dr. N.M. Khan, director of the IFST laboratory. The techniques for RD and TD manufactor and subsequent feeding of Tilapia and Rohu held in small tanks in the hatchery have been successful and can now be used to measure DC for the survey feedstuffs. The laboratory equipment must be ordered and delivery before any completion of the DC programme can be expected.
2.4 The new man Zaher in the NDD section of FARS has been leading the research efforts this past year. He is well organized is bright and has an active interest in the NDD programme. He has been working under the general supervision of Dr. Bhuiyan, who is the designated CSO for BFRS and Paigacha and is absent for weeks at this field station. Therefore a more senior nutrition and diet development person is needed for more mature and experimental conduct of the NDD programme at FARS for the FRI interests in this critical development area for successful industrial aquaculture. Mr. Zaher is nominated for a Ph.D training programme - if selected he will be absent about 4 years leaving a great void in the orderly development and consistant conduct of the nutrition research programme of FRI. Recruitment of a capable experienced SSO in NDD is necessary immediatly to assure continuity of the programme initiated and finally beginning to function at FARS.
2.5 A diet testing trial with Tilapia fed for 90 days on formulated diets in which part of the protein component was replaced with duckweed or water hyacinth was completed. The diets contained 28% crude protien and dried duckweed appeared to be better utilized than dried water hyacinth leaves.
Growth response was not as good as fish reared under pond conditions with fertilizers and supplemented feeds, but growth differences were observed and could be correlated with protein components used i.e. FM> DW> WH. New supplementory diet formulations are planned for 1989 and 1990 when 0.25ha ponds become available for more extensive diet trials under final poly culture standard plus supplementory diet treatment technique.
2.6. New diet testing trails have been designed and details are found in Annex A.
2.7 The general progress in NDD at FRI compared with the general plan in consultancy report 4 submitted in 1986 can be found in Annex B. The original plan activities are indicated in the bargraph with light lines, hatched lines show plan deletions and heavy bar lines show actual completion of elements scheduled.
2.8 The diet testing building was sketched out and discussed with the FRI Engineer. Site was selected adjacent to the completed experimental feed mill building. Cost estimates for construction including water supplies, drains and electrical service for a roofed, screened slab area with tanks constructed of brick work finished with cement plaster was listed at about $20,000 by the FRI Engineer.
