Evaluation of herring (clupea spp) fish eggs as a potential source of dietary protein in animal model

Abstract

protein composition of four different fish eggs was determined. The crude protein (%) in the eggs of Herring fish (Clupea spp) (48.50%) was higher than that of Clarias (27.70%), Heterobranchus (26.60%) and Tilapia (25.60%). The fish eggs with highest crude protein (Herring) was used as protein source to formulate the feed fed to experimental animals while soya beans were used as a protein source for the control. The fish eggs and the soya beans made up 30% of the test feed formula and control respectively. The weights and growth rate of experimental and Swiss albino rats were monitored for three weeks. The animals fed on the diet formulated with herring egg gained more weight than the control which received diet formulated with soya beans. The growth and development indices (body length measurements in cm) of Swiss albino rats fed with fish egg formula gave higher values for the experimental animals over the control. The nose to tail length was 29.3±1.26 cm for the experimental and 27.5 ±1.32 cm for the control. The respective lengths of tail and head circumference were 12.7 ± 1.26 and 2.30±0.2cm for the experimental while 12.5±0.76 and 2.20±0.2cm for the control, respectively. The net protein utilization (NPU) was 0.70mg and 0.40mg for animals fed with fish eggs and soya beans diet, respectively. The toxicological effects of the fish eggs formula determined from the hematological and serum biochemical parameters showed that Hb (%) for control (8.73 ± 0.81) and experimental (8.97±0.65) animals was not significantly p>0.05) different. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) (%) was 26.30 ± 2.52 and 27.00 ± 2.0 for control and experimental animals respectively. The white blood cell count for experimental animals (3200 ± 608.28) was higher than that of control (3066.67 ± 608.28). The Serum total protein (STP) was 65.70 ± 31.70 g/l for Control and 119.00 ± 42.7g/l for the experimental animals. The serum total albumin (STA) was 25.80 ± 0.67g/l for control and 57.40 ± 16.50g/l for experimental animals.