Evaluation of different dietary protein and energy levels on growth performance and body composition of narrow clawed crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus)

Nine practical diets containing increasing percentages of crude protein (cp) and energy (30%, 35%, 40% and 300kcal/100g, 370kcal/100g and 450kcal/100g) were fed to narrow clawed crayfish (mean individual weight=17±2.3 g) during an 8 week feeding trial. weight gain, feed conversion ratio (fcr), protein efficiency ratio (per), net protein utilization (npu), daily food consumption (dfc) and body composition of tail-muscle meat of narrow clawed crayfish were determined. at the conclusion of the experiment, comparing the growth parameters in response to interaction between protein and energy levels demonstrated that dietary number 2 (30/370) resulted in higher wg, npu, per, and the lowest fcr whereas dietary number 3 (30:450) showed higher sgr and dfc. comparison of the body composition results indicates the greatest amount of protein absorption in diet number 2 (30/370). results from this study indicate that narrow clawed crayfish can be fed a practical diet containing 30% protein and 370 kcal/100gr. reducing cp levels in narrow clawed crayfish diets may help reduce operating costs and thereby increase producers’ profits.