Jackson Mwangi
University of Nairobi, Kenya, Animal production, Graduate Student
The challenge of expensive fish feeds in Kenya can be mitigated through utilization of agro-processing byproducts. A study was done to evaluate farmed fish management practices and assess rice milling byproducts' use within Kirinyaga... more
The challenge of expensive fish feeds in Kenya can be mitigated through utilization of agro-processing byproducts. A study was done to evaluate farmed fish management practices and assess rice milling byproducts' use within Kirinyaga County in Kenya. Data from 109 fish farmers (owning 184 fishponds) and 6 large scale and 50 small scale rice millers was collected using semi-structured questionnaires. Most (51.6%) of the farmers interviewed kept Tilapia in monoculture, 27.7% kept Tilapia and Catfish together in polyculture, 11.4% kept Ornamental fish and 9.2% kept Catfish in monoculture. Although 86% of farmers cited high cost of feed as a challenge, none of them fed fish based on their weight. In addition farmers did not quantify the amount of fertilizer prior to application to the pond. Rice bran produced from large mills had higher quality (14.7% CP and 12.1% CF) compared to that from small mills (8% CP and 27.9% CF).
