Effects of Commercial Growth Promoter-Enriched Feed on the Growth, Carcass Composition, and Palatability of Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822)

Since the use of various commercial growth promoters in aquafeed is increasing in Bangladesh, a feeding trial was conducted for 90 days to evaluate the effects of farm-made feeds enriched with a commercial growth promoter, Charger Gel on the growth, carcass composition, and palatability of Catla catla, a candidate aquaculture species of this country. In this trial, four feeds were utilized and treated as four distinct treatments, with a commercial grower feed used as the control feed (CGF0), and three test feeds were made using locally sourced ingredients, incorporating Charger Gel at 4, 6, and 8 g/kg of feed, designated as CGF1, CGF2, and CGF3, respectively. At the trial’s end, mean weight gain (MWG), percentage weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), survival rate, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were estimated using standard methods and formulas. Additionally, carcass proximate composition and palatability of cooked fish’s flesh were evaluated using AOAC methods and organoleptic sensory techniques. The better MWG, PWG, SGR, and FCR were found in CGF1, while the poorer results were found in CGF0. Higher carcass protein and lipid content, along with a total organoleptic score were recorded in CGF1, whereas the lower values were found in CGF0. The study concludes that utilizing locally available feed ingredients combined with Charger Gel had no adverse effects, and a rate of 4 g/kg feed leads to superior growth and flesh palatability of C. catla.