Evaluation of Feed Management Practices and Their Effect on Farm Profitability in Commercial Catfish Farms in Enugu State

Feed management is the single largest determinant of production cost and profit margins in commercial catfish farming, yet structured evaluations of actual feed management practices at the farm level in Enugu State, South East Nigeria, are absent from the literature. This study evaluates feed management practices, including feeding rate, frequency, diet selection, feed storage, and feeding behaviour monitoring, at 50 commercial catfish farms in Enugu State through farm audits, feeding record reviews, and interviews with farm managers. Financial performance data including feed cost per kilogram of fish produced, gross margin, and return on investment were computed for each farm. Results showed that only 28% of farms maintained written feeding records. Feed conversion ratios ranged from 1.4 to 3.2 across surveyed farms, indicating substantial performance variation driven by management quality. Farms using floating pellet diets had significantly lower feed conversion ratios than those using sinking pellets, attributed to better ability to monitor and adjust feeding to appetite. Feed costs represented 61 to 74% of total production costs across farms. A strong inverse relationship was found between feed conversion ratio and profitability, with each unit improvement in feed conversion ratio associated with a 31% increase in gross margin. The study recommends a standardised farm-level feed management training programme for Enugu State catfish producers, focusing on appetite-based feeding, feed quality assessment, and proper storage practices.

Keywords: feed management, feed conversion ratio, catfish farming, farm profitability, Enugu State