Comparative Growth Performance and Proximate Nutrient Composition of Three Local Strains of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis Niloticus L.) Collected From Different Locations in Uganda

The availability of O. niloticus fingerlings remains a problem in South Western Highland Agro-Ecological Zones. Most fish farmers produce only small sized fish probably because of inbreeding in Uganda. Brood stocks of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus L. were collected from Lakes Victoria, Kyoga and Kayumbu, a minor lake in SWHAEZ. The brood-stock were conditioned and bred. Fingerlings of F1 generation of each strain were fed diet containing 35% Crude Protein for 90 days. The results showed that Victoria strain growth performance was better compared to other tilapia strains in growth performance. Survival rate was not significantly different among Nile tilapia strains. Crude protein contents in fish body was higher in Victoria (69.30%) followed by Kayumbu strains (68.125%) with Kyoga having the least crude protein content (64.5%). Fish body of Kayumbu strains contained higher values of crude fat (11.70%) followed by Victoria strain (9.90%) while Kyoga strain had the least crude lipid (8.50%). The Victoria strain (47.8 g feed/fish) had significantly higher feed intake and PER than all the other strains. Kyoga and Kayumbu strains were comparable in terms of feed intake. However, the Kayumbu strain had significantly the least PER (2.46). The lowest FCR value was obtained in Kayumbu strain (1.67), while the higher ones were obtained in Kyoga and Victoria strains 1.82 and 1.78, respectively). The poor performance of kayumbu strain was probably due to in breeding and other environmental factors like temperatures. Therefore, exploitation of the genetic variation within the different native wild strains through selective breeding can help to improve growth performance of the Kayumbu strain in South Western Highland Agro-Ecological Zones (SWHAEZ).