Carcass Essential Amino Acids Profile of <i>Clarias gariepinus </i>(Burchell, 1822) Fingerlings Fed Different Levels of Maca (<i>Lepidium meyenii</i>, Walp.) Root Powder as Feed Additive

This research was carried out to determine the carcass essential amino acids profile of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings fed different levels of Maca root powder as a feed additive. Five (5) isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) and isocaloric (1,732kcal kg-1 gross energy) diets were formulated, where Maca root powder in the form of feed additive was included at 0.0g/100g (TM0), 0.25g/100g (TM1), 0.5g/100g (TM2), 0.75g/100g (TM3) and 1.0g/100g (TM4) inclusion levels, diet without Maca root powder (TM0), served as the control diet. Formulated diets were fed to Clarias gariepinus fingerlings (n = 300, 10.0±0.00g) in fifteen (15) rectangular plastic tanks (n = 20) at a fixed feeding rate of 3% body weight twice daily between the hours of 8:00 - 9:00 am and 4:00 - 5:00 pm at regular interval and adjusted after every two (2) weeks of sampling for a period of twelve (12) weeks. At the end of the research three (3) Clarias gariepinus from each treatment were sacrificed with the carcass subjected to essential amino acids analysis. Data collected were analysed using one - way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P = 0.05. All the nine (9) essential amino acids were found in the final carcass profile of the Clarias gariepinus. Carcass histidine value (15.81mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (10.02mg/g) in the fish fed the control diet (TM0), carcass isoleucine value (25.42mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (18.20mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), while the carcass leucine value (14.17mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM4 and least (11.98mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass lysine value (20.13mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (14.68mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass methionine value (33.07mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (26.80mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass phenylalanine value (22.24mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (17.69mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass threonine value (22.23mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (15.13mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0), carcass tryptophan value (25.74mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (20.92mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0) and the carcass valine value (39.77mg/g) was highest in fish fed diet TM3 and least (32.95mg/g) in the fish fed control diet (TM0).. The incorporation of Maca root powder as a feed additive into the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings increases the concentration of the carcass's essential amino acids and therefore the Clarias gariepinus can be a very important source of the essential amino acids. The incorporation of Maca root powder as a feed additive into the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings is recommended for improving the Clarias gariepinus carcass essential amino acids profile.