Fermented cottonseed meal as an alternative for groundnut oil cake in aquafeed

Abstract

Better nutrition in aquaculture is essential for higher growth and improved yields. Enhancing production through the intensification of cultural practices ensures profitability and a sustained supply of fish protein. However, such intensification of aquaculture practices shifts the emphasis to feed-based culture. Feed cost represents the significant operational cost in animal production. In aquaculture, it represents about 50-60% of the operational costs and plays a vital role in determining the profitability of aquaculture. As fish meal resources are declining, the ingredients for these feeds will have to be sourced mainly from plants. Plant-based ingredients are widely available, renewable, and are already being used in aquafeed. These agro-industrial residues like cottonseed meal can be suitable, especially after fermentation, due to their low production cost and high nutritional value. Improved nutritional quality of agro-waste as feed is considered very important for its practical application in fish feed. The improvement in nutrient quality is best obtained by solid-state fermentation, resulting in decreased antinutritional factors of agro-waste products.