Impact of Specially Prepared Food on Indian Big Carp Growth in West Bengal, India’s Cooch Behar District

Year : 2026 | Volume : 15 | Issue : 01 | Page : 7 12
    By

    Chandan Chakraborty,

  • Sudip Barat,

  1. Research Scholar, Department of Zoology, University of North Bengal, Raja Rammohanpur, Siliguri, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
  2. Professor, Department of Zoology, University of North Bengal, Raja Rammohanpur, Siliguri, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

Abstract

This four-year longitudinal study (2008–2012) in the Cooch Behar District of West Bengal, India, utilized on-farm ponds to evaluate the comparative growth performance of Indian Major Carps (IMCs) – Catla catla, Labeo rohita, and Cirrhinus mrigala – when subjected to four distinct supplementary feed formulations: fishmeal (A), soybean meal (B), silkworm pupae (C), and mustard oilcake (D). The experimental design contrasted treated ponds receiving formulated feed against control ponds relying solely on natural productivity. In comparison to the control group, all supplemental meals considerably increased weight gain and Specific Growth Rate (SGR), confirming the financial requirement of intensive/semi-intensive culture techniques. Technically, the silkworm pupae-based feed (Feed C) demonstrated optimal efficacy. This diet recorded the lowest Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), indicating superior feed utilization efficiency where less feed mass was required to produce a unit of fish biomass. This is directly attributed to the high biological value of the pupae’s protein – typically high in crude protein (50–80%) and balanced in essential amino acids (EAAs) and lipids. The robust EAA and essential fatty acid (EFA) profile ensures maximum nutrient digestibility and assimilation, leading to reduced metabolic waste and enhanced energy partitioning for growth. Conversely, the mustard oilcake-based feed (Feed D) yielded the poorest growth, likely due to a sub-optimal amino acid balance, lower protein digestibility, or the presence of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) common in oilseed meals, which depress nutrient uptake. The study’s results underscore that selecting a feed with a superior protein efficiency ratio (PER), as exemplified by silkworm pupae, is the key to maximizing yield and minimizing feeding costs in sustainable carp polyculture.

Keywords: Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), Indian Major Carps (IMCs), Silkworm Pupae (SPM), growth performance, supplementary feed

[This article belongs to Research and Reviews : Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology ]

How to cite this article:
Chandan Chakraborty, Sudip Barat. Impact of Specially Prepared Food on Indian Big Carp Growth in West Bengal, India’s Cooch Behar District. Research and Reviews : Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology. 2025; 15(01):7-12.
How to cite this URL:
Chandan Chakraborty, Sudip Barat. Impact of Specially Prepared Food on Indian Big Carp Growth in West Bengal, India’s Cooch Behar District. Research and Reviews : Journal of Veterinary Science and Technology. 2025; 15(01):7-12. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjovst/article=2025/view=232622


References

  1. Huntingford F, Kadri S, Jobling M. Introduction: aquaculture and behaviour. In: Aquaculture and Behavior. 2012 Jan 11. p. 1–35.
  2. Booth MA. Production of aquafeed for fish farmers in Papua New Guinea: Challenges and opportunities. Feed. 2017:83.
  3. Delong DC, Halver JE, Mertz ET. Nutrition of salmonid fishers: VI. Protein requirements of Chinook salmon at two temperatures. J Nutr. 1958;65:589–99.
  4. Bhagat RP, Barat S. Effect of artificial feed on survival and growth of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) during exogenous feeding in the raceways of Kathmandu, Nepal. Int J Fish Aquat Stud. 2017;5(1):149–56.
  5. Nandeesha MC, Srikanth GK, Keshavappa P, Varghese TJ, Basavaraja N, Das SK. Effect of non-defatted silkworm pupae in diets on the growth of common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Biol Wastes. 1990;33:17–23.
  6. Hasan MR. Nutrition and feeding for sustainable aquaculture development in the third millennium. In: Aquaculture in the Third Millennium, Technical Proceedings of the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium; 2013.
  7. Shetty HPC, Nandeesha MC. An overview of carp nutrition research in India. In: De Silva SS, editor. Fin Fish Nutrition Research in Asia. Singapore: Heenemann Asia; 1988. p. 96–116.
  8. Subba BR, Bhagat RP, Adhikaree S. Studies on length-weight and length-length relationship of a freshwater fish Gudusia godanahiae from Biratnagar, Nepal. Our Nature. 2009;7:218–21.
  9. Daniela G, Giuseppe M, Laura P, Stefano P, Massimo L. Length-length, length-weight and a proposed standard weight equation for the Italian endemic species Barbus tyberinus Bonaparte, 1839. Turk J Fish Aquat Sci. 2015;15:191–6.
  10. Le Cren ED. The length-weight relationships and seasonal cycle in gonad weight and condition in the perch (Perca fluviatilis). J Anim Ecol. 1951;20:201–19.
  11. Pitcher TJ, Hart PJ. Fisheries Ecology. London: Chapman and Hall; 1982.
  12. Solomon SG, Yusufu II. The amino acid profile, proximate and mineral composition of silkworm caterpillar (Anaphe infracta) meal as possible alternative to fish meal in the diets of cultured fish species. Makurdi (Nigeria): Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Agriculture; 2005.
  13. Woynarovich A, Hoitsy G, Moth-Poulsen T. Small-scale Rainbow Trout Farming. Rome: FAO; 2011.
  14. Bhagat RP, Barat S. Impact of artificial feed on survival and growth of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) during exogenous feeding in raceways of Kathmandu, Nepal. Int J Pure Appl Biosci. 2016;4(2):9–16.
  15. Wang C, Xu Q, Bai Q, Yin J, Jia Z. Comparison of growth performances, nutritional composition in muscle of diploid and triploid masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou B., 1856). Turk J Fish Aquat Sci. 2015;15:127–35.
  16. Clark ML. Comparison of Water Quality, Rainbow Trout Production, and Economics in Oxygenated and Aerated Raceways. Blacksburg (VA): Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; 2003.
  17. Akbulut B, Sahin T, Aksungur N, Alsungur M. Effect of initial size on growth of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, reared in cages on the Turkish Black Sea coast. Turk J Fish Aquat Sci. 2002;2:133–6.
  18. Bulut M, Tekinay AA, Güroy D, Ergün S, Bilen S. Hazelnut meal in diets for seawater farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Effects on growth performance and body composition. Ital J Anim Sci. 2009;8(4):625–32.
  19. Klontz GW. Manual for Rainbow Trout Production on the Family-owned Farm. Murray (UT): Nelson and Sons, Inc.; 1991.
  20. Yildiz M. The study of fillet quality and the growth performance of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed with diets containing different amounts of vitamin E. Turk J Fish Aquat Sci. 2004;4:81–6.
  21. Bhagat RP, Barat S. Effect of artificial feed on survival and growth of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) during exogenous feeding in the raceways of Kathmandu, Nepal. Int J Fish Aquat Stud. 2017;5(1):149–56.
  22. Nandeesha MC, Srikanth GK, Keshavappa P, Varghese TJ, Basavaraja N, Das SK. Effect of non-defatted silkworm pupae in diets on the growth of common carp, Cyprinus carpio. Biol Wastes. 1990;33:17–23.
  23. Bulut M, Tekinay AA, Güroy D, Ergün S, Bilen S. Hazelnut meal in diets for seawater farmed rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Effects on growth performance and body composition. Ital J Anim Sci. 2009;8(4):625–32.
  24. Chakrabarthy RD, Sen PR, Kowtal GV. Observations on the relative usefulness of different feeds for carp spawn and fry. J Inland Fish Soc India. 1973;5:182–8.
  25. Chakrabarti R, Jana BB. Effects on growth and water quality of feeding exogenous plankton compared to use of manure in the culture of mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala, rohu, Labeo rohita fry in tanks. J Appl Aquac. 1998;8:87–95.
  26. Chakraborty BK, Miah ML, Mirza MJA, Habib MAB. Rearing and nursing of local sarpunti, Puntius sarana (Hamilton) at different stocking densities. Pak J Biol Sci. 2003;6:797–800.
  27. Chakraborty C, Barat S. Growth, survival and overall economics of polyculture operations with Indian major carps under differential diet regimen utilizing local food products in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal, India.
  28. Chakraborty RD. Composite culture of Indian and exotic fishes. Souvenir Silver Jubilee of CIFRI, Barrackpore; 1972. p. 25–9.
  29. Jhingran VG. Scope and role of inland aquaculture in India’s economy. Indian Farming. 1975;6:10–1.
  30. Chan GL. Aquaculture, ecological engineering, lessons from China. Ambio. 1993;22(7):491–3.
  31. Chandra D, Ayyappan PS, Jena J. Comparative changes in water quality and role of pond soil after application of different levels of organic and inorganic inputs. Aquac Res. 2005;36:785–95.
  32. Chattopadhyay NR, Ghorai PP, De SK. Bundh breeding—rejuvenation of a novel technology for quality seed production by the fish seed producers of Bankura district in West Bengal, India. Int J Curr Sci. 2013;9:E123–32.
  33. Banerjee S, Barat S. Effect of cow dung and stocking density on growth and production of Indian major carp and Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp) under integrated farming system in Terai region of West Bengal. J Interacad. 2012;16(2a):541–9.
  34. Banerjee S, Nur R, Barat S. Effect of different organic manures on live weight gain of Indian major carp and grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella, Hamilton) under integrated fish farming system in Terai region of West Bengal. Environ Ecol. 2013;31(2):938–42.
Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 15
Issue 01
Received 29/10/2025
Accepted 04/11/2025
Published 05/11/2025
Publication Time 7 Days
52

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics