Study of mechanical effects on the quality of fish feed during different stages of manufacturing

Successful aquaculture highly depends on ensuring the quality feed which mostly depends on the proper feedstuffs selection and the manufacturing process. This study was undertaken to monitor the deviation of protein level and the mechanical effects on different biofactors viz. protein, moisture, ash, crude lipid and fiber in feed during manufacture. Samples were collected at randomly and batch wise from the prominent feed industry during the production period. Samples were collected from two different production level viz. 'Final Mixer' and 'Finished Feed' and third other sample was prepared as 'Control Mixer' on the dry basis. All the samples were analyzed by using proper analytical procedure in the laboratory of fish nutrition. The percentage of protein content was 17.9 in control mixer and 18.46 in final mixer which finally decreased to 17.03% in finished feed. In control mixer ash content was 25.74 and 23.1% in final mixer which increased in finished feed to 24.68%. Lipid content increased in finished feed (6.1%) rather than the final mixer (5.95%) and the control mixer (3.75%). However, crude fiber content decreased from control mixer to finished feed thoroughly. Crude fiber content in control mixer was 7.4% which decreased to 6.86 and 6.56% in final mixer and finished feed respectively. Again a relation may be drawn between the moisture content and ash and lipid content with crude fiber. By this study it was observed quality of feed is highly influenced by quality machine.