author(s)
Sanjay Singh Rathore and Sajid I Yusufzai

abstract
A total of 200 acclimatized fry (1.56 ± 0.10 g) were randomly distributed in quadruple into five distinct experimental groups with five isonitrogenous (40% crude protein) diets : T1 (control) containing fish meal; and T2, T3, T4 and T5 replacing 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of fish meal with shrimp head meal for 60 days. The haematological parameters (haemoglobin, erythrocytes, leucocytes, differential leucocyte count and haematocrit, mean cell volume, Mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin concentration) showed significant (p<0.05) difference among various experimental groups. Serum total protein, total immunoglobulin, albumin and globulin and albumin/globulin ratio were significantly (p<0.05) higher in T3 treatment. In conclusion, replacement of fish meal by shrimp head meal in practical diet of tilapia showed a slight difference in the haematological and biochemical parameters without impact on the health status of the fish. Therefore, use of shrimp head meal as alternative feed should be encouraged.