A Study On Food Preferences in Juvenile's BAT AGUR AFFINIS and The Response of Body Growth

A two-year feeding trial was done to evaluate the body growth response of juvenile's terrapin, Batagur affinis fed with fish, kangkung and combination of fish and kangkung. juvenile fed with fish attained better growth response. In term of carapace length, trend was observed in terms of mean increase in carapace length in juvenile fed with different diet. At the end of the experiment, calculated from week 3 to week 15, Juveniles fed with fish grew an average of 1.67 cm, comparatively, juveniles fed with kangkung only grew the average of 0.83 cm, and juveniles fed on both fish and kangkung attained average carapace growth of 3.21 cm. Juvenile terrapin fed with only fish achieved gain weight of 0.43 kg than terrapin fed with kangkung that only achieved 0.20 kg at the end of experiment. Meanwhile, terrapin fed with both fish and kangkung achieved weight gain of 0.41 kg at the end of the experimental period. The statistical analysis ANOVA, P < 0.01, give significant difference for all type of feeding to its outcome that is the carapace length and weight gain. Two groups of juveniles Batagur affinis totaling eight were given the meals of original diet of fish and kangkung, new diet of tomato and squid and combination of both diets. When they were tested for foodpreference, some preferred original diet and some preferred new diet. The feeding behavior of juveniles is different from the two groups. Key words: Body growth response, Measurement, Carapace, Weight gain, Original diet, New diet, Combination diet, Food preference.
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