Abstract
Abstract
Fishmeal is a highly nutritious feed ingredient that provides high-quality protein, energy, minerals, and essential vitamins. This study determined the proximate and mineral composition of fishmeal prepared from by-products of Nile tilapia (
Oreochromis niloticus
), catfish (
Clarias gariepinus
), and barbus (
Labeobarbus intermedius
) using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) official methods. Significant differences (p 0.05). Catfish meal had the highest EE (30.78%), followed by tilapia meal (18.94%) and barbus meal (15.51%). Barbus meal contained the highest CP (55.36%), followed by tilapia meal (48.27%) and catfish meal (44.76%). Ash content was highest in barbus meal (28.91%) and tilapia meal (28.88%). Catfish meal had the highest metabolized energy (ME) (4580.85 kcal/kg DM), compared with tilapia meal (3741.76 kcal/kg DM) and barbus meal (3547.34 kcal/kg DM). Barbus meal contained the highest calcium (10.56%), whereas tilapia had the highest magnesium (2.88%). Magnesium content was similar in barbus and catfish meals (1.73%). Phosphorus and potassium ranged from 4.70–5.46% and 0.21–0.23%, respectively. Crude fiber was low in all meals (0.59–0.77%). Overall, fishmeal produced from these species is rich in protein, energy, and macro-minerals and can serve as a valuable feed ingredient to supplement nutrient deficiencies in conventional livestock and aquaculture diets in Ethiopia.