Growth Response, Nutrient Utilization and Viscerosomatic and Hepatosomatic Indices of Nile Tilapia (O. niloticus) Linnaeus 1758, Fed at Various Inclusion Levels of Raw and Soaked Sprouted Elephant Ear Plant (E. cyclocarpum) Leaf in Substitute for Soybean Meal
Alegbeleye W.O
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Bamidele N.
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Tijani B. B
*
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Babalola O. I
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Akanbi E.
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Olanrewaju A.O
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Abdul-azeez N. A
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Imran F. G
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Tijani Aishat
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Odukoya E. A
Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), PMB 2240, Ogun State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The objective of the study was to examine the effects of Raw and soaked Guanacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) leaf meal on the growth performance, nutrient utilization, histological indices of juvenile Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).
Study Design: Complete Randomized Design.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Nigeria between May 2022 to September 2022.
Methodology: A 12-week feeding experiment was conducted to assess the use of Raw and Soaked E. cyclocarpum leaf meal (SECLm) as a partial substitute for soybean meal. The parameters considered include growth response, nutrient utilization and hepatosomatic and Viscerosomatic indices of O. niloticus. 300 fingerlings stage (13.00±2.0g) were collected. The fingerlings were randomly distributed in 30 plastic experimental tanks (50×33.5×33.5cm3) at the stocking rate of 10fish/tank. Four isonitrogenous (40%) diets and isocaloric () were formulated in which supplemented soybean meal with the Soaked E. cyclocarpum Leaf meal at three inclusion levels, (10%, 20% and 30%) while 0% inclusion served as Control diet (CD). The diets were fed to triplicate groups of the experimental fish and were fed twice daily at 3% body weight.
Results: Data obtained from the experiments were analyzed using One-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). At the end of the feeding trial, the group of fish fed at SEcLM 3 had the best growth performance in terms of Weight gain, FCR and SGR (1.52±0.01 and 1.43±0.06) respectively. The mean weight gain of all the treatments increased across the treatments. Fish fed SEcLM 1 had the highest overall growth performance and the highest weight gain. The survival rate was not significantly different (p> 0.05) across the treatments. The group of fish fed treatment diet SEcLM 1 had the highest viscerosomatic index 1.67±0.11 while for the highest hepatosomatic index was the group fed the Control diets (0.26±0.10) and the group of fish fed SEcLM 1 (19.82±1.52) had the highest body weight, the group that displayed the longest gut length is the group fed SEcLM 1 (11.25±0.25).
Conclusion: The conclusion drawn was that feeding O. niloticus with Enterelobium cyclocarpum leaf meal and Soaked Enterelobium cyclocarpum leaf meal up to 10% and Raw at 30% could replace Soybean meal without any physiological stress and posing any threat to the fish.
Keywords: Growth response, Nile tilapia (O. niloticus), Elephant ear plant (E. cyclocarpum), nutrient utilization, Hepatosomatic indices, soybean meal