Catfish feed requires certain nutrients that will help the farmer optimize the growth as well as increase the profit on their catfish farming business. Below are the 4 classes of nutrients, in order of importance, essential in any feed formulation:
Protein: This class of nutrient is required for building body tissue and replacement of damaged tissue. It contains physiological molecules such as hormones and enzymes. It can be obtained from plants and animals.
Energy (Carbohydrate): This nutrition provides the energy needed for catfishes. Grains of cereals and cassavas are the major source of this nutrient.
Vitamins and minerals: Growth, health, and body process are controlled by this class of nutrition. For example, organic and inorganic chemicals are found in vitamin and minerals.
Fat: Fat contains vital fatty acids and also enhances energy delivery in feed.
There is a need to understand nutritional contents of available feed ingredients so as to understand and select appropriately ingredients that will meet the nutritional needs of your catfish. Each class of nutrition is analyzed separately below:
Nutritional Level of Animal Proteins
| Animal Protein | Energy Level (mj/kg) | Crude Protein (%) | Fats (%) | Calcium/Phosphorus (%) | Methionine (%) | Lysine (%) |
| Meat meal | 11.2 | 50 – 51 | 10 | 8 | 0.7 | 2.6 |
| Blood meal | 15.2 | 88 – 90 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 7.1 |
| Feather meal | 13.7 | 80 – 85 | 7 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 |
| Poultry meal | 13.1 | 60 – 64 | 13 | 2.0 | 1 | 3.1 |
| Fish meal | 5 | 55 – 75 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2 |
Nutritional Level of Plant Proteins
| Plant Protein | Protein (%) | Energy (cal/kg) | Calcium (%) | Lysine (%) | Methionine (%) |
| Soybeans meal | 44 – 48 | 2557 | 0.20 | 3.2 | 1.4 |
| Cottonseed meal | 40 – 41 | 2350 | 0.66 | 4.2 | 1.4 |
| Sunflower Meal | 46 – 47 | 2205 | 0.30 | 3.5 | 2.3 |
| GNC | 45.6 – 61.8 | 3860 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 1.0 |
Nutritional Level of Energy Base Ingredients
| Ingredients | Protein (%) | Energy (cal/kg) | Calcium (%) | Lysine (%) |
| Wheat | 13 | 3153 | 0.05 | 0.5 |
| Sorghum | 9.0 | 3263 | 0.02 | 0.3 |
| Maize | 8 – 11 | 3200 | 0.5 | 0.27 |
| Cassava | 2.5 | 1601 | 1.6 | 0.07 |
From the nutritional table of certain feed ingredients, a sample of simple catfish feed formula can be generated thus:
Sample 1:
| Ingredients | Quantity (kg) |
| Maize/Wheat/Cassava Flour (any of the three) | 25kg |
| Soya/Sunflower/Cotton seed (Soya preferred) | 30kg |
| GNC/Benseed (either of the two) | 20kg |
| Fish (72%) | 25kg |
| Fish Premix | 0.5 |
| Lysine | 0.1 |
| Methionine | 0.1 |
| Vitamin C | 0.1 |
| Salt | 0.2 |
| DCP | 1 |
| TOTAL | 102kg |
Sample 2:
| Ingredients | Quantity (kg) |
| Maize | 20 |
| Poultry meal | 15 |
| Fish meal (72%) | 10 |
| Blood meal | 5 |
| Soya | 30 |
| GNC | 20 |
| Fish premix | 0.5 |
| Lysine | 0.1 |
| Methionine | 0.1 |
| Vitamin C | 0.1 |
| Salt | 0.2 |
| DCP | 1 |
| TOTAL | 102kg |