THE ECONOMICS OF INDUCED BREEDING OF Heterobranchus longifilis (VALENCIENNES, 1840) USING HORMONAL INDUCTION AND MANUAL STRIPPING

The economics of two induced breeding methods-hormonal induction and manual stripping were evaluated. In a 1:1 male: female ratio. Three (3) trials were made in each method using spawners weighing 1.5kg each. In the hormonal trial, 0.5ml ovaprim was injected into each spawner and both placed in a breeding tank containing aerated water 10 cm deep. Spawning occurred overnight and eggs incubated at 260C. In the stripping method, eggs were obtained from the female by gentle pressure on the abdomen and fertilized with milt from the macerated testes of the male partner, incubated in another tank containing aerated water 10 cm deep at 260C. Hatching occurred 25 hours later in both tanks. Fingerlings raised were harvested on the 30th day with mean counts of 509 and 3,032 in the hormonal and stripping methods, respectively. Statistical analysis using the least significant difference test (LSD) showed that there was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the mean effect of the treatments. Economic analysis showed a loss of N9,089.00 and a profit of N64,600.00 with mean cost-returns ratios of 0.30 and 1.6 in the hormonal and stripping methods, respectively. It was therefore recommended that farmers use the stripping method in producing Heterobranchus lonifilis fingerlings.