Growth Performance of Crocodile Fed with Chicken Intestine and Trash Fish at Smallholder Farm in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

The experiment was conducted at the smallholder crocodile farm at Pouk district, Siem reap province, and lasted 12 months, commenced from January 1st to December 31st, 2023. The CRBD (Completely Randomized Block Design), was used in 3 treatments, such as T1 (fed chicken intestine only), T2 (fed chicken intestine + trash fish) and T3 (fed trash fish only), with 4 replications in each treatment. The block was set by gender of crocodile, male and female. The 36 of local breed crocodiles 4 months old were allocated into each replication randomly. The result found that the length of crocodile gradually increased in the first semester, then it greatly increased from or for second semester for all treatments. In addition, the final body length of crocodile was significant different among treatments (p< 0.001), the treatment of T2 (fed chicken intestine + trash fish) had the longest one. Body length was also affected by gender, and male crocodile had longer body length (p< 0.001). However, there were no significant differences for the interaction between types of feed with gender (p> 0.05) (Table 1). The body weight of crocodile had gradually increased in the first semester, then it greatly increased from or for second semester for all treatments, while the final body weight of crocodile was also significant different among treatments (p< 0.001) and the gender of crocodile (p< 0.001). The average ADG (Daily Weight Gain) was significant different among treatments (p< 0.001). Treatment of T2 (fed chicken intestine + trash fish) had highest ADG, 11.05 g, followed by T3 (fed trash fish only), while the T1 had the lowest one. The gender of crocodile affected the ADG of crocodile, and male crocodile had higher ADG than female crocodile (p< 0.001). However, there were no significant differences for the interaction between type of feed with gender (p> 0.05). Feed intake was calculated based on amount of feed offer and measured in fresh basis. The amount of intake feed in all treatments was the same. FCR (Feed Conversion Ratio) was significant different among treatments (p< 0.001) and also gender of crocodile (p< 0.001). However, there were no significant differences for the interaction between types of feed with gender (p> 0.05). In conclusion, the uses of trash fish and chicken intestine are an alternative feed source for crocodile to result in higher growth performance of crocodile.