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An experiment was conducted to test the effect of feeding graded levels of Blood meal – Bovine rumen digesta
blend diets (BMBRD) on the haematological profiles of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings (10.32±1.96 g). Five
approximately iso-nitrogenous (35% crude protein) experimental diets were prepared with 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and
100% BMBRD meal inclusion respectively to replace the fishmeal component of the control diets. The prepared
experimental diets were fed in duplicate to 8-week old C. gariepinus fingerlings in each dietary group for 86 days.
A commercial feed was exclusively fed as the control diet. The fish stocked in 12 glass tanks (60 cm x 30 cm x 30
cm) at the rate of 12 fish per tank were fed at the rate of 5% of their body weight per day, in two equal installments.
Analysis showed that the water pH in each of the culture media significantly differ (P<0.05) from each other. The
haemoglobin values of the fish fed the control and 75% BMBRD diets were significantly different (P<0.05) from the
heamoglobin. However, the MCHC values of the fish fed experimental diets were not significantly (P>0.05) from
the MCHC value of the fish fed control (DBR) diet. The study concluded that blood meal – bovine rumen digesta
could satisfactorily replace fishmeal in the diet of C. gariepinus fingerlings without affecting the haematological
profiles of the fish.
Keywords: Blood meal, Rumen digesta, Clarias gariepinus, Haematology.