Feed Formulation of Improved Egg Custard formulation using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

Abstract

Abstract. Macrobrachium rosenbergii or also known as Giant Freshwater Prawn is crustacean species that can naturally be found in Malaysia. Previous studies were carried out on developing alternative feed for M. rosenbergii larvae in order to lower the feed cost and improve growth rate. This project proposed to analyze the nutrition value of M. rosenbergii larvae formulated feed using 40% of egg custard, 3% of eggshells, 1% of Curcuma longa (Turmeric) and 17.5% of Moringa oleifera. There were 13 different feed formulations by using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in Design Expert Software version 10 which M. oleifera and C. longa were the variables coded while egg custard and eggshells were the based feed of the formulation. Proximate analysis has been conducted to observe the nutrition composition of the formulated feed and compared with the nutrient requirement of M. rosenbergii larvae which were protein, lipid, mineral and carbohydrates requirement. The result by Design Expert Software version 10 revealed that M. oleifera and C. longa gave the significant effect to protein and mineral requirement but not to lipid and carbohydrate requirement. The software also suggested the optimize formulation that near to the nutrient requirement of M. rosenbergii was Formulation 9, suggested percentage of 17.10% M. oleifera and 1% C. longa with 0.738 desirability.